Endergirl
by SylentDoom
Summary: What do you get when you cross a loner with an adorable Endergirl? A fifty chapter story about them gathering groupies, fighting off a heap of assholes, and falling tragically in love… probably. Through adventure, action, comedy and tragedy, each of them looks for something worthwhile in a place where worlds collide. Hearts will be broken, puns will be made, and I hit the word lim-
1. Not us, but her

**Author Note:**

So I finally decided to write a fan fic. It's not much, and I'm not sure if any of you will enjoy, let alone read it.

However, it is my first work that I have ever shared. So if I get a single favourite, follow or even a review, good or bad, I will write the next few chapters as quickly as I can and continue the story in the hopes that more of you might enjoy it.

So, without further ado, let the story begin. :D

* * *

**Endergirl**

**Perhaps they weren't there to stop _us_ getting _in_, but _her_ getting _out_.**

As any unsupervised teenager did at one fifteen in the morning with school beginning in about seven hours, I sat in front of my desk on my slightly wobbly office chair, scrolling down web page after web page in search of entertainment. It certainly was not uncommon, most nights were like this actually. And most days were spent jumping from nap to nap, school work and what not in between. It was not a matter of wanting to go to sleep or not, I was simply unable. If I lay in bed any earlier than twelve my mind would run rampant, pulling up ideas and thoughts that needed to be acted upon.

I liked it this way. And evidently I wasn't the only one. Most of my friends were online as well, playing the various games they were addicted to or watching anime. I had never met any of them of course. But I knew them well. I had run into all of them on public servers or in chat rooms, and we all pretty much had the same interests and values, not to mention a mutual disliking of normal people.

It often puzzled me on what the definition of normal was. So far I had been lead to believe that normal was defined as being popular, having a lot of friends, playing sport and having a good body. Although I could never decide because technically I fit all of these requirements, just not in the ways I think were expected. I was popular, on most servers. I had a lot of friends, online. Chess was a sport. And I wasn't chubby nor fat but to be honest, I wasn't exactly buff either.

The familiar ping of an incoming message escaped from my computers speakers and I quickly forgot the thought. LeftHandedSiren. It wasn't the worst gamer tag I had ever laid eyes upon, but it was getting pretty close.

'Hey, we set up a new Minecraft server about a week ago.' The message read.

Minecraft. I wasn't terribly familiar with the game, sure I had played a few times before, but

Another ping. 'You should join. Here's the IP: ###.###.##:25565' A moment passed. 'Some of the others are already here, but we need your input.'

The corner of my mouth tilted upwards. A tactician. That's what I was. My friends knew and exploited the fact constantly. If I thought something through there was always a way around any obstacle.

I placed my hands on my keyboard, clean and grease free due to my constant care. 'Why do you need me?' I typed, hitting enter as soon as I had finished.

'We're going to raid the Ender stronghold.'

A few images popped to mind, depicting the huge dungeon which held the infamous Ender portal. I shrugged, it's not as if I had anything better to do. With a couple of clicks and key presses I found the game which had rested unused for the past couple of months and opened it. I logged in and typed in the IP address, joining the game. A few moments later the eyes of my avatar opened to the sight of trees, their leaves waving gently in the virtual wind.

'TheEngineer joined the game.' The yellow text of the server announced over the chat bar.

A series of greetings and formalities were exchanged between the five other players and I. Before long I had been given a set of half used armour and a badly damaged iron sword.

LeftHandedSiren spoke up. 'Okay guys, the entrance is just through this cave.' I stared past his character, whom for some reason was always a fiery red haired girl with swirling tattoos creeping up her left arm. I quickly dismissed the query as I did every time and focused on the cave. It lay directly ahead of us, dark and menacing. I hardly noticed how unrealistic the blocky graphics were anymore, completely focused on the task ahead of us. He continued. 'I had a little bit of a look, and it is filled with a metric shit ton of Endermen. So just don't stare at them, and we should be fiiiiiine.'

We all acknowledged his instructions and crept slowly into the cave. And he was right, by god was he right. It was seemingly impossible to pass through the tunnels without brushing against the flesh of a three meter tall figure. Their bright purple eyes watched our every movement, daring us to meet their relentless gaze. It sent a shiver down my spine. Sure it was just a game, but something about it… Scared me. A mossy coated wall of stone brick began to emerge from the darkness, our leader moved forward to mine a small hole with his pick axe so that we might pass.

'It's too fucking dark in here, I'm putting up some torches.' One of the players, CowTipper47, stated.

'Wai-' I couldn't even finish my sentence before a golden light flooded the cave.

CowTipper47, found himself lost in the depths of deep purple eyes. A screech of noise blasted through my speakers, every single Enderman in sight rushing towards us. Their jaws seemed to detach, turning their once plain faces into a horrid mask of death. Everybody panicked and began running towards the small opening in the wall.

I pounded my fingers down on the keys, yelling commands. 'Siren, on my six. CowTipper and Pacman, make for the hole, everybody else hold position!'

They panicked as they followed my instructions. I made my way to the side of the cave, LeftHandedSiren close behind. CowTipper47 and Pacman7r0ubl3 sprinted towards the hole, taking the Endermen with them. It was an excruciating minute before each one of them had abandoned the cave in search of their pray. I quickly blocked up the hole as the last one departed, leaving four of us in the room. We saw the death messages of two players pop up in the chat bar.

Everything was silent for a few seconds, before Siren dared to speak. 'You sacrificed them to save the rest of us.'

'It was the best option, considering the circumstances.' I replied, checking to see if my armour had taken any damage.

'This is a hard-core server you know, they can't get back on.'

I said nothing as I looked for another entrance. Upon finding one I called the others over and we slowly entered the catacombs. Our alchemist, 7ippsyMonkey, distributed night vision potions so that we could avoid our late teammate's reckless mistake. I hesitated before Siren gave the order to move out, something felt… Off. Seeing as how we had broken through the walls, we were pretty close to the inner section of the dungeon. There should be more enemies…

We moved as a team through the musky halls, sticking together for protection should the need arise. The alarming sound of a piston opening sent Siren and I jumping backwards in surprise. The other two, weren't so quick and soon found themselves swimming in a fiery pit of lava. I muttered to myself as I deactivated the trap and we proceeded, sparing only a quick thought for our fallen comrades.

And then there were two. Siren didn't seem the least bit fazed, and I normally wouldn't be either. But for some reason I couldn't help but feel as if we were being watched by someone… Or something. The walls crept passed us at a steady rate and before long, we reached a cross road, the hallway splitting off in two separate directions.

I considered the options briefly, it was best not to linger too long and there were hardly any enemies to be found… 'Let's split up.'

Siren nodded his blocky head in agreement and strode confidently down one of the hallways. As I watched him turn the next corner, I suddenly regretted my choice. Shaking off the feeling, I turned around and proceeded carefully down my assigned hall. It seemed to stretch onwards for an eternity, with no defects nor landmarks. Was this normal? I didn't play enough of this game to know the answer. I walked and walked, my hunger bar slowly diminishing. I wasn't sure how long I could keep going.

My screen began to flash black, my night vision was failing. Had it already been eight minutes? As I was plunged into complete darkness I stopped, not wanting to bump into anything while I was defenceless. I heard a possessed groan behind me and bolted in the other direction, whatever it was gave chase.

I briefly debated turning around and fighting the terror, but as another groan joined the pursuit, and another, I decided it would be for the best if I didn't. Siren's death message popped up in the chat bar. I was shocked, he was the best online combatant I knew, what could possibly best him? But the game could not be argued with. LeftHandedSiren, was well and truly, dead.

Finally, my eyes caught a slim glow of orange light ahead of me. I wasn't sure what it was, but if I got there, I might be able to defend myself. I sprinted full pelt the rest of the way, the terrifying groans still growing increasingly louder. Just as I thought it was all over, I barrelled through a large ornamental entrance into an even larger room. The grey stone walls were plain, but in the middle sat a small pit of lava, hovering above it was what we had all been looking for.

The Ender Portal.

I turned to face my relentless stalkers. Three Endermen, unlike any I had ever seen before, stood before me. They almost seemed… Human. But their endless void coloured eyes said otherwise. They wore dark hoods that covered their malicious purple hair, just the tips sticking out from underneath. They were still tall, taller than me. More menacing than that, however, were the long stained gunmetal scythes that towards above the forms. The grim trio stopped at the entrance, not moving an inch.

I scanned the room for an alternate exit, but found nothing. I could always use the portal, but the eyes of ender, which I believe were needed to activate it, had been with Siren. Just as I finished that thought, a faint echoing noise began the throb through my speakers.

The portal was being opened… From the other side.

This was not the Minecraft that I knew. Something was very wrong here, but it was too detailed to be a bug. All of us seemed fixated on the now black as night gateway before us. Waiting, for whatever it was that would happen next.

The bulging of the portal made me sick as it throbbed and bubbled. What was going on? As if in answer to my question, a black clad girl came flying from the abyss and landed heavily on the floor, sliding a meter or so towards the wall. Her hair was a bright magenta which was on par with her soft eyes, now hazy and unfocused due to the unforgiving harshness of her landing. She wore a similar hoodie to the others, except hers was far too big for her. Under normal circumstances I would reason it to fall just above her knees on her bare legs, however as she lay on the cold stone floor, obviously somewhat injured, it just barely kept her decent. She hugged something close to her chest. The object was soaked in a glossy, endless and pure black. I could barely tear my eyes from it as it threatened to pull me into its eternal depths. I recognised the spherical ebbing orb almost immediately…

The Ender Dragon egg.

A single moment of clarity passed before the three monsters of men began to move towards the grounded form. She scrambled away from them, gasping in pain as she cradled her right arm, it must be broken. I had to do something… I couldn't just let them kill her. But was it any of my concern? She had obviously stolen the Dragon egg from her own kind, she might deserve it.

The scythes began to pull upwards in preparation, like scorpions poised to strike. I doubted my sword could withstand more than a single attack… If I crept away now I might be able to escape. I watched on, grimacing as the polished reaping blades reached their peak. I should run, now. Now. Now! My brain was yelling commands but my body would not obey them.

The defeated girl's eyes caught mine. She seemed… Resigned. Her death started to become a reality as the vicious weapons dropped. Her eyes fluttered closed.

A metallic clang echoed through the air. My haphazard sword snapped in two, it would be of no further use. The Endermen looked on me with a sense of superior fury. They were well and truly, pissed. It was an idiotic move, I thought, as the denied Scythe swept up into the air again. We were still going to die.

I glanced over my shoulder at the girl behind me. She stared upwards, her eyes… Seemed not to be looking at my avatar, but instead at me, in the real world. I'm not sure how I could tell, but I accepted it as the truth. I smiled, just a comforting little smile, but I hoped she would see it.

I heard the air being pierced by the edge of our death, creating an even whistling noise. Time seemed to slow down. The girl, whose name I did not know, pulled something from her neck that had previously remained hidden. It appeared to be a small disk, attached to a string to form a simple necklace. The disk was shiny and dark, an Ender pearl. She snapped to her feet and held the item in her uninjured arm, supporting the egg awkwardly in the other.

Just as I feared I was about to part from this world, a blinding flash echoed through the screen, lighting up my whole room and rendering me sightless in the process. Something soft flew from my screen and crashed into me with a destructive force. I heard the blade pierce my characters skin, killing him instantly as my chair rocked backwards precariously. My arms and legs kicked in the air, trying to stabilize myself. But it seemed to be all in vain as I toppled backwards.

The last thing I remember was a sickening crack as my head knocked against my bed frame, and the soft touch of someone's skin against mine.

* * *

**Author Note:**

So, did you like the first chapter? I've got a lot planned for this story if it gains any interest and personally I would like to share it with you guys. But I'll wait and see what you think and continue as quickly as I can from there.

Thanks for reading. :)

\- SylentDoom


	2. But why are the donuts gone

**Author Note:**

Alright, here we are with chapter two of Endergirl! And it's all thanks to MitchyTheBraveShadowHuntress and RED Medic for their super encouraging reviews. Not to forget WhiteCat2011 who made this story a favourite. Honestly there is nothing better than receiving feedback, good or bad. So thanks heaps, I'll write the next few chapters for you, but I still want your input if you can spare the time. :)

I was having a few errors with the story displaying raw HTML for some reason, but that should be all patched up now, sorry for any inconvenience.

Anyway, on with the story!

* * *

**But _why_ are the donuts gone?**

A single dull throb echoed through my mind. A moment later it passed again, more prominent. And again. Annoying… Slowly, my eyes flickered open. For a second or two everything was hazy, the plastered white roof tricked me into seeing an eternity of colourless landscape. But as my brain slowly began to correct my lagging vision, the walls and objects in my room started to become clearer to me.

Why was I laying on the floor? The greying carpet felt unfathomably soft underneath me, I brushed my hands against it, savouring the feeling. If it weren't for the irritable throb in my temple, I might have laid there forever. A single moment of clarity pierced my dizzy façade.

Something's wrong.

But as my vision began to waver yet again, the thought was quickly lost. I shifted slightly, I had to get ready for school… My plain wooden door creaked shut as I moved. I examined it for a split second before attempting to right myself. As I sat up, the relentless throb became increasingly louder, almost as if it were manifesting into a physical noise. Ignoring it, I pulled myself to my feet. Immediately falling back down.

What the hell was going on? Readying myself once more, I pulled myself up, swayed slightly, but never the less held my ground. School… Laptop. It was of course the first thing that popped into my mind every time I considered leaving the house. Without a laptop, I was helpless. It was my connection to the world, to my friends if I needed them. Almost effortlessly, I managed to slide my sleek, high performance laptop into its case and hang it over my shoulder with a practised grace.

I stood for a minute or two. I needed something else… What was it? Uniform. That was it. With a little bit of struggle, I finally got the navy blue blazer on and made for the door. For some reason I looked upon the house in a new light now, as if it weren't just the same old boring set of rooms. It was split into two stories, a winding staircase linking the two. All of the walls were washed white and carpet lined almost every floor, except for those that were filled in with wood instead. It was an open plan house, fairly modern and quite pleasing to the eye. As I studied my surroundings I recalled the reason why I preferred it in here rather than out there.

My legs seemed to remember how to walk properly by the time I had reached the front door and I pushed it open without a second thought. The cold morning air nipped at my face as I stepped outside, I shivered slightly. Well at least it wasn't snowing… Yet. As the season of summer was on its way out, fall seemed to become a foreign word, as winter quickly stole its position. The trees that overlooked the narrow street had already begun to shed their weary leaves and the grass had already started to crisp considerably.

Turning, I grasped the brass door handle and started to pull it closed. A flash of purple dashed across the small gap that still connected the interior to the outside world. I stopped… Purple? My eyes unfocused momentarily and the unanswered question excused itself from my mind. I shut the door, locking it, and crossed the small section of grass between the house and the well-worn street. It would certainly be an interesting day.

* * *

Everybody was staring at me.

Usually I would just blend in with the crowd and avoid drawing attention to myself. And yet today the other students seemed fascinated. I felt uneasy… They muttered things behind my back, phrases that were unrecognisable to me for some reason.

A teacher stood before me, blocking my path. She was a short woman, shorter than me anyway, and her hair was noticeably greyed from the stress of her job. She spoke something, although I was not sure exactly what it was she was saying. She took a sudden step towards me, and out of reflex I took one backwards. A sudden dizzy hit caused me to fall to the hard concrete floor below me.

* * *

I dreamed of purple. Not a single shade of the royal colour, but many varying shades. Some of them almost seemed pink, others almost, but not quite, blue. The simple notion caused me to flashback to the night before. Words formed one by one on the inside of my eyelids.

Danger.

Run.

Girl.

Protect.

I bolted upright. My eyes snapping open to process the scene around me. The large sanitized room reminded me of a hospital, as the school's first aid clinic always did. What the hell happened? My head was a mess. I couldn't tell if the memories I had were true or just random jargon. I groaned as I pressed my face into my hands, I had a terrible headache.

"Can you shut the fuck up?" A drowsy voice spoke from across the room.

I looked over at the figure who lay neatly tucked into a bed in the corner. Fiery red hair was the only visible feature, but I recognised the irritable individual immediately. Raven. She had been in almost all of my classes since third grade. We hated each other.

"What happened?" I asked, ignoring her question.

She followed suit and tucked her head under the small pillow, brought to school specifically for such a purpose. I sighed. The only thing the prick of a girl and I had in common was our sleeping schedule. Normally, we would both arrive in the mornings and make our way here, to catch half an hour or so of shut eye. Apart from that, she was loud, annoying, swore constantly and never expressed anything other than a disappointed frown.

The swinging double doors at the end of the room opened to permit a tall, white clad nurse. She was young, and good looking enough to make the majority of the schools boys cover up nose bleeds every time she passed. "Thank goodness." I starred at her as she walked towards me. "I was starting to think we might have to call the hospital."

My head tilted back down to the soft blanket that had been kindly spread over me. "What happened?"

I saw her smile in the corner of my eye. "First, do you remember your name?"

The question was an odd one, but I answered anyway. "David. David Verona."

"And how old are you, David?"

I started to sense the seriousness of the situation. "Seventeen."

She clapped her hands. "Good! You turned up with blood caked all over the back of your head. Minor concussion. I put a few stitches in."

"Blood? I-" Memories suddenly flooded my consciousness. The blinding light… Something had knocked me over… Everything was a little hazy after that, but I had the general idea.

My caretaker looked at me quizzically. "Just take a few minutes to make sure you're feeling alright. When you go back to class, take Raven with you."

We both turned our gaze to the girl in the corner. "Fuck off." She mumbled from underneath her pillow.

With a final reassuring smile, the nurse turned and departed the room.

I sat, still a little unsure of myself. Something had knocked me unconscious… But what? Slowly, I slid out of the cheap steel framed bed and stood up. My head spun for a moment, but it didn't discourage me. I found my belongings on the floor and threw both my laptop bag and my blazer over my shoulder.

As I stretched to expel the lazy feeling that plagued my muscles, Raven turned over to face me. If it weren't for the terrible personality she might be considered beautiful. Her face was angular, probably capable of possessing dimples if she ever smiled. Her eyes, a husky blue opposite of her hair. She watched me. I watched her. Neither of us found a reason to say anything.

She pushed herself up, strands of red fire hanging across her face. Yawning, she slid out of bed and stood in front of the exit. I rolled my eyes as I joined her, pushing the door open so she might pass. When we finally found our way out of the labyrinth that was the school medical bay, the fresh air was almost welcoming. The sun was surprisingly low in the sky. How long had I been out?

Yellowing rays of light streamed through every tree and every window we passed. Combined with the familiar silence that surrounded us, it was almost… Relaxing. The school itself was quite old, most of the buildings being made out of vibrant red brick that created eccentric archways and odd corners at almost every turn. It wasn't much all together, but it was as homey as a school could be and that suited me just fine.

We were almost half way to class when Raven deemed a conversation necessary, not that either of us knew how to keep one going. "Still single?"

I didn't turn my attention from the few birds I was admiring, they skipped across the ground in search of discarded crumbs, oblivious of the world around them. "You don't care."

She sighed. "You're right."

We walked the rest of the way in silence, past the green house and administration block, past the library and various classrooms, until we finally reached our homeroom. Annoyingly, it was on the third story of the tallest building in the school, which meant several trips up and down stairs every day. Raven pushed in front of me, flinging the door open and hesitating her grip for only a second so that I had just enough time to slip through.

"Where have you two been all day?" Our perplexed teacher asked.

Raven lay down across her desk in the back corner of the room. "Having sex."

The whole class stared at her as she lay exhausted, falling asleep almost as soon as she went down. She truly did not give a single care to her social image or the impacts her words might have on others.

I considered my options as the teacher who was pretty certain of her sarcasm, but not quite positive, waited for my answer. Denying it might satisfy the teacher but would just add fuel to fire among the students. Giving an outright affirmative answer would convince them all. A joke would make them laugh and they would most likely soon forget about the event.

I glanced over at the red haired form that lay sprawled across the chipped and well used wooden surface. She really didn't have any energy left. "Well, looks like I did a good job."

The guys in the room chuckled and the occasional girl let off a small grin, the teacher however, was unimpressed by my humour. "Sit down, David."

As I complied, my thoughts quickly returned to the happenings of last night. Minecraft huh? Was it a glitch? My knowledge of programming and game mechanics may be basic, but I know what I saw could be nothing but a feature of the game.

A stolen Dragon egg…

The bell rang its joyous little tune and the depleted students rose from their seats and marched lazily out of the old sliding door. The teacher cast a weary glance at the two remaining people in the room, but decided they weren't worth his time.

I complained only in my mind as I tore and scrunched up a piece of paper from my maths notebook, the various equations finally being put to use. Why was it always my job to look after her? I flung the paper missile across the room, narrowly missing the sleeping girl that was my target. It's not as if I was her personal alarm clock. Loading another round of ammunition, I aimed and fired in her direction. This time it hit her square in the face. She squirmed violently, startled by the unexpected hit. I grinned as the table began to tip and she fell heavily to the floor.

It was a moment before she emerged, her eyes just peaking above her now upturned mattress. They were eyes that contained nothing but hatred of the purest form. Wasting no time, I made my escape. "Don't spend the night here again." I called back as I descended the stairs.

* * *

The walk home was a long and uninteresting one, as per usual. It pissed me off to no end, seeing ever kid grin at me as they drove past in their expensive and polished cars, their parents serving as the pilots. It was almost as if the money just came to them, almost like their parents never had to work a day in their life. I couldn't exactly complain though… I mean even if it meant that she had to travel frequently, we still had a home to keep us warm and food to satisfy our hunger. I nodded as I dismissed my selfish thoughts. My mother worked hard for what we had, I should never compare her to anyone else. It was strange to be having these thoughts now. I usually did every time I walked home, and every time I came to the same conclusion, and yet the cycle always continued.

Finally, the wild looking strip of grass that surrounded my home came into view and I was unlocking the door before I knew it. As I pushed, the hinges creaked, like they all did in this mishap house. My eyebrows furrowed as I squinted into the darkness. All of the blinds were closed, and none of the lights were on… Odd, I don't remember turning them off. Mind you, I guess I wasn't exactly myself this morning.

Fumbling for the switch, the room was instantly illuminated. It was at this moment that I recognised I was no longer the sole occupant of number forty one Frankston Drive. We both froze in our steps. The girl before me was tall. Not quite as tall as me, if I stood up straight, but dangerously close. She wore nothing but a scuffed black hoodie that was far too big for her. The sleeves hung down, concealing her hands, and her legs were thankfully covered from just above her knees. The hood was drawn upwards to hide a vibrant curtain of bright purple hair, some might argue it to be magenta. But whatever it was, her eyes matched it perfectly. She was mesmerizing.

Cute.

Was the word that instantly popped into my mind. Despite all of this, it did nothing but add insult to the fact that a single glazed donut hung suspended from her soft lips, the remainder of the box cradled in her arm.

I swallowed, nervous and also a little irritated. "W- Who are you?" Her head tilted to the side, examining me. "And more importantly… Why are you eating my donuts?"

* * *

**Author Note:**

12:47 AM. I'm sure it will not be the last time I am up this late finishing a chapter. I'm pretty tired so if you find any mistakes, please point them out. I actually had a heap of stuff I wanted to say here but I forgot what it all was. Hahaha, oh well, next time.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. The beginning of a long term story is always difficult, but I'm sure it will get a lot more interesting from here on in.

Goodnight guys, you get some sleep too, okay? :)

\- SylentDoom


	3. Cunning woman

**Author Note:**

Chapter three! Hell yeah. First of all, thanks to PersonaQeminod1, Tenshi0 and Koridas (A.K.A. Ad) for your reviews and follows and favourites and support and general brilliance. Not of course to forget my original supporters, Mitchy and RED Med who continue to provide encouragement.

Le me: "One chapter every three days? I think yes."

Physics teacher: "I think no."

Me: "Challenge accepted."

Essentially, shits about to hit the fan at school, but I think I care more about this story than I do school work. So I guess we'll see how it works out.

Anyway, on with the story.

* * *

**Cunning woman.**

It was essentially an impossible and ceaseless game of hide and seek. As I paced around the house looking for the intruders newest hiding place, I was still coming to terms with what had happened. She had simply disappeared. There were no mystical effects, no lightning bolts or smoke screens. The only thing that signified her unexpected travel was the sharp and sudden pop that echoed through my ears every time I lay eyes on the beautiful girl.

I had a few theories by this point, as anybody would. One, she was an escaped government project with teleporting powers. I opened the closet in the master bedroom and found the innocent looking girl with another glazed donut in her mouth, the contents of the box she held slowly diminishing. She jumped in fright and quickly vanished. Two, she was an alien who had come to survey Earth for colonization. I made my way downstairs and found her concealed beneath the blanket which rested on the sofa. Three, maybe the school nurse overdosed on the amount of anaesthetic she had given me.

I began to move slowly as I neared, making as little noise as possible. If I could just… I pounced forwards, ripping off the blanket and snatching at the crumpled box of donuts. She was gone in a moment, but I held the prize.

Finally triumphant, I examined the contents. Two! It was almost full when I left this morning! Sighing, I wandered into the kitchen and flicked the electric kettle on. Well, she must like them, and as annoying as it is, this gave me leverage. I made myself a pot of coffee, as I did every afternoon, and wandered back into the living room. I sat down on one of the almost futuristic looking metal chairs and placed everything on the large glass table. The furniture might seem expensive, but it was really just what we managed to wing out of the divorce. It didn't bother me too much anymore, thinking about it. Mom was happier and that was enough for me.

I waited.

And waited.

And waited…

As I poured my last cup of coffee, a sliver of purple appeared from around the corner. I pretended to miss it and made no sudden movements. The corner of a clear and almost flawless face slowly crept into sight, a single magenta coloured eye glaring at me. I looked up at her, caught yet again in marvel at her cuteness. I quickly pushed the thought down and focused on the task at hand.

When our eyes met she seemed to panic, and pulled back a little. But at the same time I could see she was almost as interested in me as I was in her. She soon returned, her cheeks slightly reddening, but none the less meeting my gaze. I moved slowly and obviously, as I selected a donut from the box which was barely holding together. Her lips curved downwards into a disappointed and longing frown as I brought the glazed treat to my mouth. Stopping just before my bite, I craned my neck in interest. Setting it back down, her eyes lit up and her face returned to what could almost be called a smile. And by god was it adorable. I could barely contain myself, but somehow I persisted despite the torture.

I brought it back up. Frown.

Set it back down. Smile.

Up. Frown.

Down. Smile.

I hesitated before I spoke. It was a risk, I could scare her away again, or I could finally find out why she was here. I decided I had to try. "I'll trade you one donut, for one answer, okay?" She seemed sceptical and confused, it was at this point that I considered the fact she might not even speak English. I raised an eyebrow. "Do you understand me?"

"One donut." She replied, serious as ever.

I jumped back in shock. Partly because her voice contained a sound so soft and so innocent that I might have thought it impossible, but mostly because she had lead me on and tricked me without mercy. I swore under my breath, not only could she understand my words, it seemed she had gambling figured out as well. Reluctantly, I slid one of the two sweets to the other side of the table. The corners of her mouth pulled upwards greedily.

I had to make this last question count… I could ask who she was, but that wouldn't help much. Maybe how she could teleport? No… That wouldn't make much of a difference to the situation either. "What do you want?" I asked, confident in my choice.

"Another donut."

My head hit the table in defeat. The key to losing any game is over confidence, and it seems I had some lessons that I needed to relearn. With much distress, I slowly pushed the last remaining desert to her side of the glass surface. She still seemed reluctant to approach. She was fearful… For reasons unbeknown to me.

"It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you." I assured her.

She rose a bit higher and finally separated herself from the wall, still maintaining a closeness with it if she needed to escape however. "That's what they all say."

I stiffened at her words. That's what they all say? What had happened in her past that made her lose so much trust in everybody around her? I swallowed uneasily at my imagination. I decided to remain silent and let the unnamed girl make up her own mind. It was an unmoving minute.

"Don't look at me." She uttered, shyly.

She must get it a lot. I didn't blame her really, but I would have thought she'd be more used to it. Hesitantly, I obeyed, and turned my vision towards the wall. I heard the steady footsteps nearing. Steady, and yet ready to turn face and bolt if startled. This moment, was important, I only had one chance to earn her trust. As the even pace came to a stop, I could feel her presence more than anything. Surprisingly, it put me on edge. I heard the chair opposite me, being drawn outwards, and a soft brush of fabric against metal signified her seating.

My eyes flickered upwards, only for what I intended to be a split second, but I was caught in the act almost instantly. I no longer possessed the willpower to look away. I became lost in her eyes, they seemed limitless, as if there was no end to the beauty contained within. Her lips parted in surprise and the faint outlines of a blush bloomed on her cheeks. She quickly covered the expression by stuffing one of her cheated donuts in her mouth.

I hardly noticed when she finished, but soon after she finally met my inconsiderate stare. "You really don't recognise me, do you?"

I blinked once or twice, trying to free myself from the trance. "Have we met before?"

"Mm, last night."

I thought back, but after I had fallen from my chair, everything was unrecognisable. "I… Can't quite remember…"

Her thin eyebrows furrowed. "How hard did you hit your head?"

It took me a couple of seconds. Granted, it had taken me far longer than it should have to piece together the puzzle. But as she sat there staring, with her magenta coloured hair and eyes to match, in the black hoodie that was far too big for her, slightly cradling her right arm, I toppled over backwards in my chair.

The Endergirl.

"Y- You-" I flustered, not quite being able to push out the words. She bit into the last remaining donut, calmly. I swallowed as I righted myself, resting my back against the cold plaster wall. Taking a few breaths, I tried again. "You… Teleported through my screen?"

The mob nodded.

I paused, before I burst into ecstatic laughter. I could no longer contain myself. There was no way this was candid camera, or an elaborate prank, the teleporting was far too real and the girl, far too attractive. This was somehow… Reality.

She tilted her head, like the way a puppy does when it's confused at its owner's stupidity.

Finally managing to suck in my laughter, I took a couple deep breaths to steady myself, but I couldn't get rid of the amused grin that was spread across my face. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's just that… This plotline sounds like something straight from a crappy, third-rate fan fiction that some idiotic teenager with no life would post online."

The anonymous girl blinked. "You're strange."

My gaze dropped to her injured arm. "You should let me have a look at that."

She jerked backwards, almost falling. Her eyes widened and an expression of fear covered her whole body. "W- Why?"

The reaction was unexpected… She must have had an excessive amount of terrifying experiences in her past. I approached the topic slowly, and with much care. "It's injured, isn't it?"

"N- No…"

I sighed. "If it bothers you that much, you can treat it yourself. But at least let me get you the first aid kit."

She seemed a little downtrodden, and stared into her lap, but eventually she nodded her consent. I stood up and continued to walk into the spotless kitchen and fumble through the draws for my objective. Soon, I returned to find her sitting on the edge of the leather sofa, still a little shaken. I stood in the doorway a moment, taking in the emotions she was attempting to keep hidden.

Worry.

Pain.

Loss.

I sat down beside her, leaving a good meter or so gap in which I placed the scavenged medical kit, a large green cross printed on its face. Opening it for her, I waited. She looked first to the kit, and then to me. "Can you… Look away, please." She mumbled, creating a barely audible sentence.

I gave a small reassuring smile, and turned my back to her. A minute or so passed, nothing but the reassuring and repetitive tick from the large, stainless steel clock which was mounted on the wall. Eventually, just as I thought she might have teleported away, I heard the sound of soft fabric being drawn across softer skin. A small wince escaped her lips and it took everything in me to stop myself from turning around. A rummaging noise from the items in the kit, it only lasted a few seconds.

Another minute passed before she spoke up. "Umm…" The girl seemed to realise that she had no idea what to call me by, but she soon continued with her sentence. "What, is all of this stuff?"

Slowly, so as not to surprise her, I turned. It scared the living crap out of me almost as soon as I saw the heavily bruised limb. Various colours that seemed to be darkening by the minute possessed the convicted flesh. I only barely caught my horror. Choking it back down, I put on an assuring act. She was extremely shy about people looking at her and I guess the fact that she was an Endergirl explained it. But there was no reason to cringe at the sight of her injury, it would just make her even more uncomfortable.

I held out my open palm. "May I?"

If she had any other option. There was no way in hell we would have ever come close to making contact. But she was intelligent, and she knew that this needed to be tended to. With more hesitation than I thought was humanly possible, she finally stretched her arm towards me… Her cheeks became aglow as our skin touched.

Usually, I was quite calm around members of the opposite sex, but when she was blushing like a ripe tomato it was impossible for me not to have a similar reaction. Sure it might have been vastly toned down, but I'm ashamed to admit that a slight graze of red might have crossed my face. Trying my hardest to ignore the fact, I inspected the extensive injury. "This might hurt a little."

She nodded.

I hated having to hurt her, but I applied a slight amount of pressure along the bone, feeling for any breaks. She gasped a little at the pain, but withstood it quite well. Thankfully, the only problem seemed to be bruising, most likely from her heavy fall the night before. Searching through the open kit with my spare hand, I found some anti-inflammatory and a long length of white coated bandage.

I might have only taken a basic medical course, but by the time I was finished, I was satisfied with how the wrapping turned out. Hurriedly, I let her hand return to her side. She admired my work, seemingly fascinated with the medicine she must never have had access to before. "My name's David." I introduced, smiling.

She returned my smile with a smaller version of her own, a thankful version. "Nice to meet you… David." Struggling over the decision of whether or not to share in the introduction, she eventually replied. "Key. Is what I'd like to be called… But my birth name is An-"

I butted in. "If you want me to call you Key, then I will. You don't need to tell me a name you're not proud of." Her lips parted in that same surprised expression, before turning upwards into a regenerated smile. I was still a little curious though. "But why Key?"

Her pleasant smile cracked in two, her eyes drooping to a sorrow unlike any other. I regretted ever asking. "My sister…" The soft voice dragged off, her mind plunged into a memory that would have been better left undisturbed.

Her sister… I dare not ask. But if taking her name was the way she chose to honour her, then I had no right to protest. "I'm sorry…"

She seemed to return to reality a little. "No, don't be."

I tried to smile for her, but it was almost impossible and only came out as a small gesture, but somehow she saw the meaning behind it. "You should get some rest." I suggested, wanting to part with the topic. She nodded and began to lay down on the couch, I hurried to tidy up the equipment so that she could fully stretch out her slender form. And yet, she still chose to curl up into a little ball. "Those dressings will need to be changed tomorrow, so don't go running off on me."

"Mm." Was her only reply.

* * *

Darkness was already beginning to descend by the time I had locked up the house and turned the heater on. Evidently it was still too cold inside by the way my new guest was shivering. Gathering up the blanket she had used for cover earlier that day, I lay it on top of her, praying to god she wouldn't awaken. Slightly relieved that the task was done, I made my way upstairs and into my room. My office chair was still rendered capsized on the carpet and there was a reasonably large stain of blood next to my bed. It was sickening, but I decided to deal with it in the morning.

I was exhausted, but I opened up my laptop anyway, plugging it in to charge before anything else. Almost as soon as it had booted up, I messaged LeftHandedSiren. He was probably still pissed at me for yesterday.

'Hey, you up?'

A minute later I received the kind of message I had expected. 'No. Fuck off.'

'Oh come on, are you still annoyed about dying? It's been a whole day.' I lead on, setting up the conversation.

'Yeah well now the whole server is gone, I worked hard to get all that equipment you know.'

'Well, not the whole server…'

His reply took a surprisingly long time to write for the amount of words it contained. 'What?'

'We need to meet. In real life. You live somewhere close to me right?'

'Woah, woah, woah. What are you talking about?'

If I explained it to him he'd never believe me. He had to see it for himself. 'Look, it's important. Meet me tomorrow at 4:30 down by Halbert Park.'

'Urgh. Fine. But you owe me one.'

I was about to close my laptop down when I remembered something crucial. 'It just occurs to me I don't actually know what you look like, or your real name…'

'Hahaha, you'll know me when you see me. Night.'

Raising an eyebrow at the answer, I finally shutdown the device, slipped out of my shirt and slid under the heavy covers of my overly comfy bed. My brain was abuzz with the events of the day. An Endergirl? Seriously? I felt that even I was taking this situation too lightly. A girl, came flying out of my monitor and into my world. Furthermore what was I supposed to do with her now? I couldn't just leave her here every day, it was clear she didn't know much about this world and she could easily run into danger. And what about those things that were chasing her…

My eyelids finally rejected my brains frenzy and closed on their own accord. I was asleep within seconds.

* * *

**Author Note:**

12:45 AM. And I've set a new record by three minutes. Whoop. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I really enjoy writing this story and it will probably be continued into the future. However, this is your story as well, not just mine. Suggestions are welcome and I suck at names as you may have noticed, so those are good too.

Hey, submit a few reviews and you might even become a character! :D

Hahaha, anyway, I'm off to bed. Goodnight.

\- SylentDoom


	4. An unexpected axe wielder

**Author Note:**

I'm sorry! School has hit me with three assignments this weekend and I wouldn't really care most of the time but I accidently told my I.T. teacher that I've learnt more from the description on a pack of gum than I have from all of her classes and now she's totally pissed at me and if I don't write an assignment that's worth an A she'll end up mocking me for the rest of the year.

"You just abandoned all sentence structure to make a really long and unnecessary excuse."

I know, I'm sorry. I'll write faster in the future… If I can avoid pissing off any more of my teachers.

Anyway, on with the story!

* * *

**An unexpected axe ****wielder.**

Key was gone.

I stared vacantly at the sofa on which I had left her, the blanket folded into a neat square. I had expected as much, I mean she couldn't just stay here forever. But I didn't think that she would vanish without a word. I sighed, my heart sinking. Something interesting had finally tumbled into my boring life, and now it was gone forever.

Eventually, I turned my eyes from the depressing scene and ventured into the kitchen, searching for breakfast. Flicking the kettle on, I readied a double shot mug of coffee and ascended the stairs back to my room. Back to my previous life. As I reached the last step I heard a small peep from down the hall, barely audible. My head twitched in its direction.

Key, to my great relief, was suspiciously eyeing the bathroom from inside the closet that stood adjacent. Carefully, so as not to frighten her, I walked down the hall, resting on the closet door frame and following her gaze. The faint patter of the leaking sink could be heard from within.

"David." She uttered, sleep that had not yet been shaken tinged her voice.

We kept staring into the bathroom. "Mmm?"

"Your house is evil."

Water. Endermen had a resistance of absolute zero against it. "Does water even effect you?"

She pursed her lips, but gave no answer.

My mind was fully recovered now, after the trauma it had sustained the day before. Logical decisions and conclusions were no longer a fleeting thought. She was an Enderman, that was for sure. But I had never seen any, aside from the ones hunting her, which appeared remotely human. There were only a few sensible situations that could lead to such a thing. "You're a hybrid aren't you? Half Enderman, half human."

She finally looked up at me, not too far up, just a few centimetres or so. "You're smarter today."

"The fact that you gave me a concussion didn't help."

The girl let off an annoyed type of humph and returned her line of sight to the bathroom. "You're meaner today too."

I sighed. "Come on." Pushing open the door, I finally exposed the ceaseless origin of the dripping. Key pulled a little bit further into the closet. I held out my hand and smiled at her, gently. "It's alright. You can do it."

She stared at my outstretched offering, and then into my eyes, studying me. At first the action was confusing, but slowly I began to realize… It must be uncommon, to be a different among your own species. You would quickly become an outcast. And seeing as how even her fellow hybrids were hunting her down, she must have been alone for a lot longer than I could ever imagine. No wonder the prospect of trust was alarm for her suspicion.

It was a moment that would define the rest of our time together. And thankfully, it didn't go to waste. With a great deal of hesitation, she eventually placed her hand within mine. Her skin was soft to the touch, and warm… The Endergirl's cheeks lit up a little at the contact and her eyes quickly darted away from mine. She really was quite shy. And that made her all the more cute.

Carefully, I lead her into the small room and we stared at the menacing object before us. Key's fingers tightened around mine with each passing drop. This was not a petty fear, fostered by scary stories or superstition. This was an instinct. To her, water posed a horribly painful death… I could only imagine what it would feel like to have water, the element responsible for extinguishing flames, burn you to a crisp. Logic told her she would be fine, but the subconsciousness is a cunning foe.

Lightly squeezing our now entwined hands, I prompted her forward. We neared the sink, its constant drip drop almost torturing the poor girl. I turned to give her a reassuring smile, but she was fixated on the unthreatening threat before her. Steadily, I pulled her hand upwards and held it underneath the faucet. Her jaw clenched in anticipation.

Drip.

A moment passed. The once terrified girl blinked.

Drip.

She watched the small transparent orb cascade down our fingers.

Drop.

Key let out a sigh of pent up relief, followed by an incredibly adorable giggle that made me shiver. There was no way in hell she was human. No human girl could possibly be that cute. I laughed. "See? Nothing to worry about."

She nodded, a huge smile breaking out across her face. It was at this moment that we both realised we were still holding hands, almost fondly. We hurriedly let go, our fingers catching on each other's, making the detachment a little awkward. I quickly cleared my throat and changed the subject. "Well I've got to get ready for school." I took a sip of my coffee, which was now slightly colder than it should have been, and made for the open door.

"Oh… You're leaving?" She asked, a little surprised.

I paused and looked over my shoulder. "I'm afraid so. You're going to be okay, right?"

A not too assuring nod preceded her response. "If something goes wrong, I can always teleport to you."

My eyebrow raised on its own accord. "You can teleport to people? Not just locations?"

"Mm." Was the affirmative.

* * *

Eventually, I was out the door with my uniform on and my laptop equipped. I finished off the last dregs of coffee and placed the chipped mug on the porch to bring in later. Key rested her curved form against the door frame, watching me.

"When will you be back?"

I thought about my meeting with Siren this afternoon. "About five." She glanced quickly at the sun, still early to join the morning sky. "I'll change those bandages tonight too." I noted, briefly examining her injured arm despite it being hidden under the extensively long sleeves of her hoodie. She gave a small smile and watched as I left. As I was almost out of sight, I called back to her. "If anything happens, find me okay?"

"I will."

* * *

As per usual, school was a drag. The constant bickering of the hyped up students did nothing but make the waiting game seem longer. Lessons ticked by with never ending trails of thought that resurfaced no matter how hard I tried to push them out of my mind.

The main one being that there was an extremely attractive teenage girl living with me at the moment. Others included the fact that she was not of this world or the question of what the hell I was going to do when my mother returned. I could do nothing but lay in wait for the cards to be played.

Something pointy hit the back of my head, I resisted the urge to jump in fright and simply gazed upwards, blinking my lazy eyes. A simple, yet precisely crafted paper plane skidded to the scratched wooden floorboards, its nose crumpled after the impact. It was then that I noticed how empty the room was, only a spiky and short-cropped red haired girl remained.

Had I fallen asleep?

"I've got places to be so don't fall asleep again." She called as she pushed through the door.

I glanced at the clock and immediately jumped to my feat, my muscles twinged from the sudden activity. If I left now, I might just make it. It wasn't hard to believe that I had slept and thought my way through the last seven or so hours, it was quite common really. But the time for rest was over, I was anxious to meet Siren. You can never be sure when you meet a friend you found online. More frequently than not, they were overweight and nerdy. But occasionally, you found yourself shaking hands with someone quite unexpected.

I thought about his last words for a moment, 'You'll know me when you see me.' Huh? He was totally going to be fat and nerdy. What else could distinguish him from every other normal person? Awkwardly, I noticed that I was walking a few meters behind Raven as we wandered down the stairs and eventually crossed the border between the school grounds and the outside world. If she noticed me, she'd definitely get the wrong idea.

The girl didn't even so much as turn around when she spoke. "Stalking me, pervert?"

I rolled my eyes and picked up the pace to walk next to the perceptive girl, her hearing was uncanny. "Who would want to stalk you?"

"Usually it's only hot guys, but I guess today is an exception." She retorted, still staring straight ahead. I gave up and just kept following the various street signs and sidewalks the lead towards my destination. I glanced briefly at Ravens watch, catching a glimpse of the electronic digits. Only a few minutes remained, I was going to be late. The fiery red hair jumped slightly as its owner's head turned. "Got somewhere to be?"

"I'm meeting someone."

"Oooooo, Davi' got a date?" She laughed at her own joke.

She was right. The chances of me ever getting close to a girl were the same as the chances of her ever becoming polite. It was not happening.

Purple.

I shook the image out of my head. "Just a good friend."

She raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think you had any. I suppose they must all be as lame and dysfunctional as you."

Shooting an annoyed glance her way, a question popped to mind. "Where are you going? You usually catch a bus home."

As we rounded the corner on the side of a vacant street, Halbert Park came into view. A chill ran through me as she pointed towards the grassed over area.

Fiery red hair.

Left handed.

Constant swearing.

I stopped dead in my tracks. After a moment the now unfamiliar girl turned, interested in my sudden halt. I stared, judging, processing. "Why?" I asked finally.

Her eyes widened, her cheeks flushed, her hands balled into fists. "You've got to be fucking kidding me."

We stared each other down, unsure of exactly what to do. Online we were practically best friends… In real life we hated each other viciously. A single question ran rampant around my brain in a loop. "You're a chick?"

A twig snapped behind her eyes and she snapped back in turn, half way between shy embarrassment and stunned fury. "Of course I'm a fucking chick you retard!"

Shyness? Not once had I seen her express anything of the sort. I thought back to how much Siren had shared with me about her life and her opinions. She had good reason to be a little embarrassed, but then again, so did I. It was only now that the signs became clear to me. Her avatar was always the same, always female. Why had I presumed otherwise? It must have been the personality, she was a tom-boy after all. I kicked myself for the simple mistake.

I tried not to. I really did. But despite my efforts I couldn't stop myself from re-evaluating her. She was wearing a plain black school skirt that was far too small for her, coming up to the middle of her grey stocking covered thighs. It confused me, Sire- Raven, was not the type to be sporting such revealing clothing for no reason. It was even more puzzling when her dull white shirt was baggy and a few sizes too big. There must be a reason behind her fashion choice. Despite that, she was quite curvy but also oddly muscular. It was not as if she was rippling with muscles and capable of bench pressing five time her body weight, but her tanned skin did not appear soft either. A few hardly noticeable freckles dotted the bridge between her nose and underneath her short lashes.

The most noticeable factors however, were the icy cold eyes that seemed to have just finished evaluating myself in the same way. They burned with an intense rage. "Why didn't you say something?!" She cried at me.

"It's hardly my fault alone!" I retorted.

"I ha- h- hate you so much!" The quiver in her voice just confirmed the fact that she wasn't too sure anymore.

I sighed… Letting my own frustration pass. In an odd moment of clarity, the girl whom I could not decide what to call, stared nervously at her feet. I couldn't help but look at her, she was so different. I no longer saw her as intimidating and annoying. I simply saw a shy and confused girl, completely out of her comfort zone.

"So… What n-" A sharp pop cut me off and a soft form barrelled into me. As I fell my mind ticked into overdrive, time seeming to slow down. A pop, I related the sound to the most frequent connections.

Popcorn, no.

Pop tarts, no.

Pop teleport, Key, yes.

I pulled the falling girl's body closer to my chest and just barely managed to push my hand under the back of her head before we hit the hard concrete path below us with painful thud. I was dazed for a moment, my head spinning a little from the impact. When I regained my composure, I was staring right into the deep magenta coloured eyes of the Endergirl, her face but millimetres from mine. I could hear her frightened breathing and smell the scent of recent blood. A small cut crept across her cheek bone. Eternity in a single second passed before she rolled off of me with great haste.

Pushing myself back onto my feet, I found Sire- Raven, staring at the girl in disbelief. Key took no notice of her and promptly hid behind me, peering over my shoulder at the direction she had materialized from.

"What's chasing you?" I asked, swallowing.

"Onii-sama."

I translated the phrase without a second thought, it took me a few seconds to realise that she had actually spoken Japanese. I looked over my shoulder in question, but she was fixated on the space before us.

Brother. Another hybrid. And not a friendly one it seems.

I payed close attention as the pop echoed through the air this time. It didn't turn out like a fold in space or a hole in time like most of the sci-fi movies would have you believe. Instead it was more of a crack. Like a frame of glass was almost, but not quite, shattered and something was slipping in between the loosened shards. And that something would have been the charming replication of the world's most handsome teenage boy, if it weren't for the endless voids that served as his sights and the large metallic scythe that was grasped in his hands.

"D- David… What's going on?" Raven asked from my side.

My arm swung out in front of her. "Stay back."

She didn't move. At first I thought she was petrified of the hulking form before us, but as I glanced over, only her stubborn determination stuck out. The gigantic scythe swept upwards, preparing to end it all. There was no time to run, no time to think. I could only try and protect the ones behind me for as long as possible. Seeing no other option, I resigned myself to the fate.

Death had never bothered me as much as I was told it should. As long as I died for something important I had no problem with it, my life wasn't exactly going anywhere significant anyway. It was a fact, that by living you will eventually end up dead, no matter how many times you cheat the reaper.

And so I suppose I was almost happy to give my life in order to protect the others. At least I didn't die in an aging home, frail and weak. The tip of the piercing blade swung downwards, accelerating at an impossible speed.

This was it.

The clash and ring of metal against metal. I could barely believe what I saw. A titanium black hatchet extended from Ravens grasp, stopping the menacing tip only centimetres from my skull. Not a single second wasted in surprise, the enemy weapon pulled upwards for another strike, this time focusing on the red haired threat.

I stared as Raven reached under the frills of her skirt and clenched an identical combat hatchet in her right hand, her off hand. Leaping into action she blocked the incoming attack by crossing her weapons above her head, promptly swinging and extending her blade towards the enemy's side straight afterwards. Barely dodging, the hybrid jumped backwards a few meters.

They faced off, judging the other's next move.

The handsome boy charged, scythe sweeping out to the side. Raven, apparently unaffected by his looks, ran straight towards him. Had she seen his movements? She was going to be sliced in half! I could only watch in terror. Just as I thought my friend was to become a bloody mess on the side of the lonely road, she grasped onto the long handle of the incoming armament and spun over it almost gracefully, letting her heel swing upwards and slam into her opponents face. He was stunned momentarily and staggered backwards. She wasted no time in spinning and planting the first hatchet into his heart and the second into his stomach.

Blood splattered over the sidewalk. The defeated form hunched, before falling to the ground. As the deadweight connected with the unforgiving surface, it shattered. It wasn't his bones that shattered, or his strength… His whole body shattered into tiny blackened shards that were soon swept away by the wind.

Both Key and I stared in a frightened awe at the once seemingly innocent girl standing before us. She was splattered with blood and stood staring down at the remaining ashes, hatchets still gripped tightly in both hands.

Her neck craned to stare into my eyes… Just by looking at her, I could tell she was as scared as we were. "David… What's going on?"

I swallowed nervously.

* * *

**Author Note:**

3:02 AM. Not sure if it should count towards the record or not because it's a Saturday night and I can sleep till twelve tomorrow… What do you guys think?

Anyways, how did you like chapter four? I mean, okay, some of the plot twists were pretty damn obvious:

"If anything happens, find me okay?"

"I will."

Pfffffffft, nothing's going to happen after that line. Anyway, sorry again for how long it took me to get this to you. I'll try and be more prompt in the future. And don't forget to keep letting me know what you think, even if it's just a; "Nice." Or a; "What the fuck is this shit?"

Next time then, make sure you guys get some sleep too.

\- SylentDoom


	5. W- We didn't, n- nothing happe-

**Author Note:**

Chapter five huh? Writers block hit me like a Monday morning over here, but I tried to push through it as best I could. And, believe it or not, it was a single review that motivated me to continue!

Tsuzihri07 (Pronounced Tsoo-Zer-Ee) You are the reason this chapter ever got finished. Honestly, you are an absolute legend. And not, of course, to forget AlienPenguine, Tecchy and everbody else who gave brilliant support throughout the last couple of days.

Well now, on with the story! I'll see you on the other side.

Oh, and mind the perspective changes. :P

* * *

**"W- We didn't, n- nothing happe-"**

We sat around the large transparent glass dining room table. I looked at Key, worried. Key looked to Raven, terrified. Raven stared vacantly into the steaming mug of coffee that I had prepared for her. The only sound was that of the wind, howling past the windows and predicting a coming storm.

Key was shaken. It was obvious. On the outside she appeared calm and collected, but when I studied her eyes it was impossible to miss the raging battle within. She hadn't moved from my side ever since the incident and that confused me.

I hated every essence of myself as I looked back on what had happened. The only thing I was capable of doing was sacrificing myself as a human meat shield. It was pathetic. Raven, Raven was capable of much more than that it seems. The hatchets that she had used to shed blood had been discarded at the other end of the table, crimson stained on their razor sharp blades.

Each axe was identical. They were both made entirely out of cast alloy steel, strong, but light. Both extended hilts that curved at odd angles, perhaps to optimise for aero-dynamics and precision. And both were coated in a pitch black paint that forced the message of death even further into our minds. I almost missed the inscriptions that were discreetly carved into the hilts. Although I recognised the text as Native American Navajo, I could not decipher it.

Navajo?

"I killed him." Raven whispered under her breath.

"You saved us." I replied, turning to study her.

She nodded, subtly. "But I still…" Her sentence trailed off.

"Stay from the innocent." Raven's eyes locked on the Endergirl as she spoke. Key squirmed at the sudden attention but gestured to the weapons at the end of the table. Something changed in the red haired girl's head, almost like a switch being flicked. She sat up a little straighter and took a sip of her coffee.

Had Key just… Read the line inscribed on the deadly weapons?

Raven spoke to me, but didn't take her eyes from the girl that now continued staring at us as if what she had just said was completely normal. "David. Who is this girl?" A little strength returned to her voice.

I hadn't had time, of course, to tell her how Key and I came to meet, and so I trailed off into a rather shortened version, but a time consuming one all the same.

* * *

"Let me get this straight. She's an Enderman, from the End, who is actually an Endergirl, who stole the Ender Dragon egg and is being hunted down by hybrid Endermen."

The amount of 'Ends' that she had managed to pack into the sentence was nullifying. I nodded. "Yes."

Raven took a minute to process the overload of information, I remembered having a similar reaction. "And why did she steal the egg?"

"Well…" I turned to look at Key, who was still sitting quietly beside me. It was only then that I realized I actually didn't know the answer to Raven's inquiry.

She continued to stare into her lap as she spoke her single word reply. "Wither…"

The red haired girl on the other side of the table shifted uncomfortably. "They were going to release it?"

Key nodded.

"Does somebody want to explain what's going on?" I asked, oblivious to the horror they were referencing.

Raven stared up at me. "The Wither boss. An endgame enemy in Minecraft that is almost impossible to kill. The Ender Dragon egg is required to summon it."

We sat in silence, contemplating the dilemma.

"Where were they going to release it?"

Key looked up at me, her beautiful eyes staring far into mine, two colourful canvases that contained only fear. "Everywhere."

The room dropped into silence once more. Was the Wither boss really that terrifying that it could drive distress into both Raven and Key?

I shook my head. "I feel like we've forgotten to be amazed at the fact that Minecraft is linked with Earth. How? Why? Since when?" Nobody responded to my queries. Today had been pretty tough on all of us and I sighed as the first pelts of rain began to fall outside, their dull patter seeming to make the situation all the more depressing. Key sunk a little lower into her chair, somewhat concerned about the harmless water. "We can talk about this another time, I suppose."

Raven nodded subtly, still unsure of herself. Eventually she acknowledge the growing storm outside. Her lips pursed at what I guessed was the thought of walking home in such a downfall. "I'm staying here tonight." The harsh personality of Raven stated. A moment passed before the almost friendly personality of Siren appeared. "I- If that's okay with you."

I smiled. She still didn't know how to act around me. "Sure. You can take one of the spare rooms." My focus changed to Key. "And you might as well take the other one."

She returned my smile, a bit of colour returning to her cheeks.

Raven had disappeared soon after she had selected a place to sleep. I didn't blame her, she obviously had a lot to think about. Mutually the whole day had done nothing but extend my list of unanswered questions. How had the world of a game mixed with ours? What were hybrid Endermen? How could Key read Navajo? And how in hell do those hatchets fit under Ravens skirt?

I let go a frustrated groan as I sat down behind my desk. The screen of my monitor flickered on to show that my folder of anime had been opened. The corner of my mouth crept upwards. At least that explains one question. It seems someone had spent the majority of the day watching episode after episode.

I was wondering what she'd get up to while I was gone.

Minimizing the folder, I opened Chrome and began researching. If I wanted to protect Key, I needed to know more, some of these questions needed to be answered.

* * *

It was an hour or so later that I heard a quiet knock on my door. At first it didn't quite register, but the second time it came loud enough to notice. I swivelled in my chair. "Come in."

A small gap allowed the shy gaze of Key to stare in at me. I couldn't do anything but smile warmly. As I did, the door parted a bit further so that she could slip inside. She still wore the same baggy black jumper that was far too big for her, the hood drawn up to cover her bright violet hair. And as always, she was still as adorable as ever. Her arms tightened around the pillow that she hugged to her chest and her cheeks reddened slightly.

"Hey." She spoke.

"Hey." I replied.

As she stood against the door, I noticed the bandage that was still wrapped around her arm. I kicked myself for not remembering sooner. "Let me take another look at that."

She tilted her head in question, but soon found what it was I was referring too and looked around the room for another chair. Knowing that she wouldn't find one, I removed myself from my throne and sat down on the carpeted floor, before long she joined me and held out her arm for me to examine.

I began unwrapping the stained white fabric softly, so as not to hurt her. It was a shock, to say the least, when all I found beneath the wrapping was fair and unscathed skin. I looked up at her in amazement.

The mob shifted awkwardly. "What?"

"It healed! In two days!"

She raised an eyebrow, an expression that only briefly allowed her strong intelligence to take precedence over her cuteness. "Is that not normal?"

"Endermen, it seems, have a much quicker healing process than humans." I thought aloud.

When I had finally pushed down my awe at her almost instant recovery, a period of silence enveloped the room. I watched her, out of the corner of my eye. She wanted to say something, that much was obvious. I waited for her to build up the confidence.

"D- David. Can I ask you something?"

My curiosity was sparked. "Of course. What's up?"

She paused, as if she was reconsidering, but continued anyway. "Today, when my brother appeared… You stood between him and me." Her eyes pierced mine, as if they could instantly distinguish the truth. "Why?"

I flinched at the answer. Why? Because… I tried to put the reason into words, but I couldn't. I still wasn't too sure myself. The Endergirl stared straight at me, unwavering. The seconds that followed were some of the longest in my life. Finally, I gave up and told her the truth. "I don't know."

She studied me for a moment, before giggling. It was no ordinary giggle. It was a heart yielding melody, one created by the gods themselves. It was adorable, there was no other word for it. She blushed when she saw me staring.

Although she seemed to have fulfilled her primary goal, she was still somewhat hesitant to leave. "Do… Do you think we could…" She trailed off, unsure herself, of what she was saying. "C- Can we talk?"

I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. "Of course we can."

And so we sat on the accommodating floor and talked. The conversation itself never held any importance, we were happy just discussing small matters. She would tell me about the End, and the few friends that she had, and I would tell her everything I could think of about Earth. She seemed to be fixated on the verities of food that the world contained, and I had to promise to let her try them all one day. I became completely absorbed in her cute little giggle and the way her eyes would flicker downwards every time our gazes crossed paths. She was beautiful, in more than just looks, and yet she seemed oblivious…

* * *

**Perspective Change: Key**

* * *

I was awake, but I didn't want to open my eyes. I felt comfortable. There had been no nightmares, no horrors. It was the first time I had slept properly in years… And I was warm… I could feel the corners of my mouth turn upwards into a small smile. That's right, I was on Earth, safe, with David and Raven. I even had my own room, with my own bed and pillow…

Pillow.

My head did not rest on a pillow. It was warm and comfy, but I could feel my pillow gripped in my arms, and last time I checked, pillows did not have heartbeats. My eyes snapped open. Where was I? What had happened? My brain, still not quite awake, shared no answers.

David shifted slightly underneath me. David! I bolted upright. I could feel my skin burning, turning as red as it would go. I had… Fallen asleep, with David… To be more precise, I had fallen asleep, on David. Oh god this was embarrassing. I didn't mean for it to happen, did I? My skin flushed a little more at the thought. Did I?

His eyes flickered open, lazily wandering around the room before landing on me. I froze. What was he going to think? A moment of silence passed as he stared vacantly at me, but suddenly, without warning, his eyes widened in shock. His face was instantly highlighted with a graze of embarrassment and he shifted awkwardly, we both looked towards the window, uncomfortable.

"Well good morning love birds." My head snapped to the door, where a red haired girl stood watching, a cup of what I had been told was coffee, in her hand, and a giant grin spread across her face.

"W- We didn't, n- nothing happe-" I gave up on my stuttering excuse and slammed my eyes shut, reaching deep inside my mind for a place to hide.

Pop.

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

The flustered Endergirl vanished, leaving only myself and a smug looking redhead in the room. I was still trying to get my head around what had happened. Key knocked on my door… We talked… We started to become drowsy… We must have fallen asleep almost simultaneously. I could still feel the spot where she had rested her head on my chest for the night. The thought made me swallow nervously.

Finally, I regained some type of composure and looked up at the silent observer. "Shut up."

She laughed before turning to leave. "I'm taking her out today to get some more clothes."

Today? Saturday. Of course. I sighed in defeat. When either Siren or Raven said she was going to do something, there was no stopping her. I suppose she was right though, Key couldn't exactly go out in public wearing just a hoodie.

I guess that left me with the question of what to do while they were gone? I still didn't know much about the place that Key had come from, I guess it wouldn't hurt to try and see it for myself.

Raven was playing a very memorable game of hide and seek with the mob of the house as I walked downstairs and into the kitchen. I flicked the kettle on, as I always did, and waited for the water to come to a boil.

Key appeared before me suddenly, almost falling, but thankfully regaining her footing. Our eyes met, sending us both into a new fit of reddened embarrassment. She was gone a moment later, leaving me alone with the steady whine of the impatient kettle. I shook myself out of thought and quickly brewed myself a mug of dark coffee, returning upstairs with haste.

If it had not occurred to you already, I was horrible with intimacy. I could talk to girls, and understand them. But when there was any type of… Chemistry. I was useless.

I took repetitive sips of my still steaming drink until I heard Raven capture the girl downstairs and drag her out the door. It slammed behind them, it seemed that for once, Raven had her hands full.

I smiled as I sat down and started up Minecraft. My goal was simply to get to the End and see what I could learn from it. I played for an hour. And then another. It was addictive, mining, building, crafting. I enjoyed building the most, and I often got side tracked with improving my house. But before long I was back on track, searching for diamonds.

If I hadn't been so absorbed in the game, I might have heard the faint pop echo from downstairs. If I hadn't been focusing on avoiding the deadly pools of lava, I might have heard the creaking of the wooden floorboards underneath each step, as someone crept towards my room. And if it weren't for the annoying spot of glare on my monitor, I would have completely missed the shining metal scythe that was raised high above my head.

I stood up and kicked my chair backwards, sending it flying into the unwanted guest that was a hybrid Enderman. The terrifyingly handsome replication kicked the useless projectile away and took another step towards me. I looked around the room for something to use. I grabbed my bulky metal camera tripod and gripped it like a makeshift sword.

Jutting forward, I slammed the sad excuse of a weapon into his rib cage. My attack was so weak, he barely flinched. Holding his horrific scythe in one hand, he grabbed onto my collar with the other and began to push me towards my desk, planning to smash me into my computer and after that, the wall. I winced. Not my computer… But no matter how much I sought to avoid it, our difference in strength was far too vast.

And for the second time that week, I resigned myself to my fate.

My feet left the ground as I sailed through the air, guided by a cold and callous hand. This is the end. I closed my eyes as I waited for the crunching sound of my bones against my most precious possession.

But it never came.

Instead what followed was a searing light, one that I had only felt once before. It pierced my eyelids and tore through my mind, rearranging my entire existence. A deep and echoing pop resonated through the air.

Darkness followed…

* * *

**Author Note:**

So, how'd I do? Okay, yeah it was a little short, but that's mostly because I needed a quick lead up to explain chapter six. And I'm telling you... Chapter six? Hehehe, it's going to be awesome.

... Hopefully.

Anyway, let me know what you think, honestly. You saw what a big difference one review makes to me, and I love to hear your feedback, good or bad.

Right, well it's time for me to go fix all the errors I found in chapters one to four. Get some sleep, good luck with whatever you need luck with and I'll see you guys in chapter six. :)

Oh and Tecchy? I'll be using that OC. :D


	6. A bone chilling scream

**Author Note:**

So I bought a cap gun the other day because I've been looking for more and more extravagant ways to waste my money. Anyway, it sits on the end of my desk, waiting for someone to interrupt my writing. That door opens, you get six rounds fired into you before you can say "For gods sake, you've been in here all day! Go outside like a normal teenager!"'

*Ahem* Moving on. Writerrrrs blooooock... For like a whole week now. I'm not even sure how this chapter turned out. What I do know is that it somehow turned into five and a half thousand words so some of the content I wanted to add has been pushed back to chapter seven. Regardless, one of your OC's makes their first appearance! One hundred percent credit to TechnoNerdDefeat (Tecchy) for Isaac. You're never getting him back. :P

Sooo... On with the story then.

* * *

**A bone chilling scream.**

Wind.

It howled through my hair and prompted goose bumps on my skin. Is that why I was so cold? Is that why I felt like my body was being torn to shreds, whipped and shredded by the merciless wind?

My eyes flickered open, and the pain retreated. But the wind didn't. The wind still kept me company in this harsh… Harsh, harsh what?

Where was I?

From where I lay I could only see the awakening sky, its endless blue like something from a movie. Where had I seen that shade before? My memories hurried to reorganise themselves. I remembered a ski trip, when I was only young. Dad had rented a cabin high up in the mountains where the forests were laden with heavy snow and the skies stretched on for an eternity.

It was that type of blue.

As I watched, it became lighter. The sun was rising. A new day. I struggled to push myself up. My muscles ached and my head throbbed. I swayed precariously on my feet, balancing as if I had to teach myself to walk all over again. Where the hell wa-

I dare not move another inch. My foot was planted on the ledge of a cliff, only just preventing my perilous decent. I swallowed as I stared out at the phenomenon before me. It was a deadly drop, the surface of the torrents that raged beneath only just visible through the haze of distance. Similarly a parallel cliff face stood at least a kilometre away, constructed of solid stone, standing directly opposite my platform.

I dropped backwards and crawled away from the terrifying plummet. Once my panicked breathing had returned to normal, I stood up once more and looked around. It would seem that I had awoken on a small plain. Grasslands spread out before me, their edges tinged with thick forest on one side and gigantic mountain ranges on the other.

My eyes widened at the sight. How the hell did I get here? I thought back… Key, Enderman, I was attacked… I groaned in realization.

"Minecraft. He teleported me, to fucking Minecraft!" I shouted at the relentless winds.

But why wasn't it all blocky, like it was in the game? Everything seemed real and quite normal. And furthermore, where was the Enderman? I shuddered at the thought… I wasn't his target, I was just an inconvenience. Which means that the hybrid, is still… Key, Raven. I needed to warn them.

Just as I was considering how to get out of this god forsaken world, something flashed in the sunlight, catching my eye. A piece of metal perhaps? It had come from over by the cliff, where I had, for lack of a better word, spawned. Metal? I squinted in the general direction and waited for the sun to reveal its hiding place.

It was a time before the spark of light pulled my attention towards a spot, not too far from where I sat. Slowly, I stood and shuffled towards the unknown object, trying my best not to look at the nerve-wracking drop that was mere meters away. Soon, the mystery revealed itself. I recognised the form almost instantly, and it did nothing but fill my mind with more and more unanswerable questions.

A blocky character lay face down in the dirt. A full scale replica of a Minecraft player. Not just any character, this metal creation was coated in my skin. The skin that I had uploaded to my account. The clean cut pixels arranged to create a smart looking mechanic, steampunk goggles and all.

Mustering my courage, I prodded the figure with my foot. Apart from the dull thud of leather against metal, nothing happened. My brain swirled with possibilities. It was obvious enough that this was some type of machine, but why did it look like a Minecraft character? Why did it look like _my _Minecraft character? My mind churned on the queries.

Perhaps…

Struggling, I rolled the heavy iron mech over so that it lay face up. There were hardly any differences, apart from the eyes. I had expected cameras, I was very wrong. Holes, rimmed with a static purple lightening, sat inlaid in each slot. As I leaned forwards and peered through the ominous voids, a few of my questions were answered.

On the other side, I could see my room. The same old boring white walls and the same old ceiling. The hybrid lay in wait, watching me through the monitor. I shied away from the sight and sat on the soft grass that covered the ground.

Minecraft.

It wasn't a game… Every player was controlling a robot like this one. In a real world. But why!? I yelled at my own consciousness. Nothing made sense! Why were there so many mysteries within mysteries!? Every one that I answered just created dozens more…

I lay down in defeat. There was no point trying to understand. It was a puzzle missing the corner pieces.

The wind still thrashed against my skin, unforgiving. I suppose it might be a good idea to find some shelter. I groaned. If this was Minecraft that meant that my house was out there somewhere. How convenient that I had gotten horribly lost while exploring. There was no point wasting time trying to find it. It might have been possible to recognise land marks while they were still blocky and pixelated, but now that they were so realistic…

I sighed and stood up. I suppose the forests might be a good place to start.

* * *

Of course I tried it, anybody would have. But apparently punching trees accomplished only two things. Hurting yourself, and looking like an absolute idiot. Furthermore, it did nothing but confirm the fact that this world's physics were no different from Earth's. Still, the things I had learnt from playing the game previously might come in handy. I never aced my design tech class, but I knew enough to manage tearing off a few branches and constructing a crude wooden axe.

I smiled at what I had accomplished. It was small, but it proved that I might actually have a chance. The smile slowly faded as I realised how much effort it took to fell the giant oaken beasts. As the sun reached mid-day I had only managed to bring five trunks to the ground. After that, I had to strip them into manageable planks which cost me even more time.

The once comforting blue sky began to descend into a spectrum of different colours. Yellow, orange, red… I didn't have much time. After all, the last thing I wanted was to be outside at night. The existence of Endermen confirmed the existence of all the other mobs and there was no hurry to meet them. I looked around for options… The mountains in the distance undoubtedly hid many caves, but there wouldn't be enough time to travel there, let alone secure a safe area. The grasslands were far too open to even consider spending the night in. The forest seemed to be the best bet, if I could scale one of the trees, I might survive the night… Might.

Taking a few steps back, I steadied myself before running at the nearest tree. Aiming for one of the lowest branches, I planted my foot on the rough bark and jumped upwards. Grimacing as my hands clasped around the branch, my legs swinging haphazardly beneath me. I had only just made it, it was reckless, if I injured myself here I would probably end up dea-

The thin branch creaked and splintered, pausing only a moment to let me realise what was happening. Well shit. A loud crack echoed through the surroundings as I began to fall. I managed to curl into a ball before I hit the unforgiving dirt. A jolt of pain broke through my nerves, making me squirm and writhe on the cold hard ground.

A burst of laughter sounded from above. My motions stopped and I stood up, alarmed. I winced as my muscles complained, but continued searching for the source anyway. "Who's there?"

"Honestly, that was the best tree climbing attempt I've seen in a long time." Was the only reply I got, followed by a small snicker.

It seemed to have no origin, as the noise came from all directions. "Show yourself."

A sigh. "If you inssssssssssist."

The bright cat like eyes were the first thing that became noticeable in the darkness. They stared down at me as the figure descended from a tree not too far away. It slowly strode in my direction, completely as ease and yet… So silent. I could barely hear footsteps or any notion of movement. It was almost…

Creepy.

Eventually the form stood close enough for me to make out details through the gloomy moonlight. A boy, perhaps the same age as myself, if not a little older. He wore a hoodie that painfully reminded me of Key and the danger she was in, the only difference was the unmistakable creeper face stitched in green. In this light it was hard to tell if his hair was black or a dark brown, but it hung just above his eyes making him seem all the more delinquent. A dark blue t-shirt, baggy black jeans, light boots.

He was quite the character and I kept noticing more and more peculiar details about his appearance. Two silver chains that ran from his belt into his pocket, a single studded earing, dark aviator sunglasses hanging precariously from the neck of his shirt.

I had to force myself to stop looking for new features and focus on a conversation. "Who are you?"

He looked at me lazily. "Herobrine."

Rolling my eyes I tried again. "My name is David, what's yours?"

He tilted his head at me, thinking before he grinned. "Isaac." As I contemplated how to go about my next question, the stranger spoke. "Most villagers don't get my sarcasm."

This caught my attention. "Villagers?"

The one who called himself Isaac examined me quizzically, debating how to answer. "You're not from around here are you?"

It hadn't taken him long to figure it out. "What about you, what are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "I've been watching you scurry around all day."

"Why?"

"Seemed interest-" His voice dropped off and he slowly turned to face into the forest.

I was about to question him, but he held up his hand to signal me otherwise. Patiently, I waited for whatever was to come next.

A rattle in the darkness.

A spine chilling groan.

All of a sudden the noises came to stop, half way through their release. I watched Isaac crack his fingers. He was waiting for something… The glint of an arrow head flew towards me at incredible speed. I didn't have time to react as it raced towards my chest. I braced for pain.

But there was none. My eyes soon crept open to find a cocky looking teenager watching me, a giant grin spread across his face and a splintered arrow clutched in his hand. Sadly, we didn't have time to marvel at his epic performance as the groans and rattles grew louder and closer. We had to move, now.

My new found saviour laughed as he ran past me, heading for the grasslands. "Run!"

I didn't need to be told again.

We dodged and weaved around tress and greenery, jumping over fallen logs and tree stumps. I didn't remember coming this far in… The sounds of monsters were not attempting to conceal themselves any longer. Groans, rattles, shrieks, patters, they echoed around us in a terrifying melody. And yet the whole time Isaac was laughing, he seemed to enjoy being in perilous danger.

I could barely keep up with him and I could tell he was holding himself back to give me a chance. The way he seemed to vault over any object with ease was eerie. It seemed to come so naturally to him. Furthermore, I could not understand the reasoning behind his actions. First, he had stalked me all day, watching my every move like I was prey. But then he had saved my life. Why?

I stumbled and pushed the thoughts out of my mind, returning my focus to evading the countless arrows that struck the ground around us. And finally, I saw them. The blocky graphics of Minecraft did nothing to describe the horrors that lay before me. Skeletons, bare beings with only shreds of skin hanging from their bones, deadly bows gripped in their hands, the spaces where their eyes should have been held nothing but darkness. Zombies, humans that were scratched and bloated, their skin turned a pale green. Spiders, gigantic insects covered in a thick black hair with glowing red orbs for eyes.

But most horrifying of all… Creepers.

They crawled around on four short legs, glaring at anything that neared them with an intense hatred. Slightly smaller than they appeared in the game, coated in a sickly green skin that oozed a black substance which I presumed to be gunpowder.

As we burst through the overgrowth and into the clear, I could do nothing but stand in awe at the collections of mobs that crowded the grasslands, creating a never ending horde. Isaac did not hesitate and continued running. Not seeing another option, I followed him.

We ran for a time, barely avoiding confrontations with the dreadful beings that rushed at us. Before long, I saw where the capable teen was heading. A small hill sat at the edge of the seemingly endless clearing. However, although it was small compared to the mountains in the distance, it still seemed a little too high to be scaled by anyone. I couldn't help but wonder what his plan was, did he even have one?

I skidded to a stop as I saw a decomposed zombie block our path, going around him would take us into the paths of the many other mobs that dotted the landscape. Isaac continued sprinting as if nothing had changed.

"Look ou-" My warning became useless as the mysterious boy detached a vicious looking metal mace from his belt, I hadn't even noticed it before. From what I could see it was about half the length of a baseball bat, scratched and dented from use, the sharp studs that covered it made it appear even more menacing.

I began running again as I watched him swing in an arc, smashing the weapon into his opponents head. A sickening crack followed by a gush of discoloured blood separated itself from the now crippled zombie. It fell uselessly to the ground, still twitching. I had to pull my gaze from the disgusting scene and fixed my eyes instead on the imposing cliff face that lay before us.

Isaac clipped our protector back onto his belt where it was held firmly in place by a thick leather strap. Unlike me, he was prepared. He picked up speed as we neared the barrier, almost as if he was planning to run straight through it. I cringed as I awaited his impact. But instead of slamming into the harsh surface of stone, he planted a foot on the wall and kicked upwards, planting another after that.

Within a few centimetres of margin, he caught onto the slightly overhanging edge. He did not slow for so much as a moment as he pulled himself up and swung around to outstretch an arm to me. I couldn't wrap my head around it, it was almost as if he had defied physics with a few relaxed bounds. But I didn't have time to think about that now.

I realised that I was about to attempt an identical action to what I had previously that day, climbing the tree. A dull throb in my lower back reminded me of how that had turned out. But this time, the target was a good half a meter higher. Gritting my teeth, I sped up.

My first step only just held traction as I pushed upwards, the second… Was not so kind. I began to slip and soon realised that I would end up as a midnight snack for the large group of monsters that were still chasing us. A rough hand caught my wrist. Looking up, I found the strained face of Isaac. He was hanging precariously over the edge, almost to the point of falling himself.

"Just let me go!" I shouted at him.

"Are you underestimating my epic strength?" He replied through his teeth.

How could he still be joking around in a position like this? If the already hopeless situation was not hopeless enough, my human rope slid a little closer to the treacherous drop. He fumbled for grip.

"For fucks sake just dro-" I was interrupted by a strenuous growl.

Issac's face turned from one of pressure to one of determination and amazingly, I began to ascend. It was a struggle and I doubted the whole while if he would succeed, but eventually I had reached a point where I could roll myself onto the soft grass that sat at the top.

We lay face up, panting at the stars. They were beautiful constellations, I hadn't had time to admire them before. A spectacular pallet of blues, blacks and whites dotted the sky. But I suppose anything could seem beautiful when you were supposed to be dead. Isaac began laughing, just a light chuckle at first, but it soon turned into full-fledged howling.

His cocky laugh was so infectious that I couldn't help but join in. So we lay there laughing at the stars, laughing at this cruel reality that had tried to execute us and laughing at the unpleasant fate we had only just escaped from.

What a hopeless world.

* * *

I awoke to the sound of burning. There were no howls or screams of suffering, just the faint smell of ash and smoke. Sitting up, I overlooked the platform of grass that spread out before me. A series of flaming corpses lay strewn around the fields. I recalled that zombies and skeletons sparked when the first rays of morning sunlight fell upon them. It was a depressing sight, but I could not look away. It was odd, watching your enemies die so helplessly. I pushed down the overwhelming urge that told me to do something to save them.

It was too late for that.

I searched the hill top that had served as our island for my saviour. A pang of loss hit me when I saw that he was nowhere to be found. He had no reason to remain after all. It was kind of him to risk his life for mine, but no sane person would stay to do it again… I suppose it was just me n-

Isaac, who had an overpowered talent for cutting me off, hauled himself up onto the raised island, somehow he had managed to carry a large bundle of planks across his shoulders. The planks that I had crafted yesterday… "Morning." He greeted, laying the bundle on the ground.

"I thought you had left." I answered, still a little amazed that he had returned.

The boy grinned. "Left to where?"

The question confused me somewhat. "Don't you have a home or something?"

He sniggered as he turned to climb back down the cliff face. "That's where you come in."

Where I come in? Wait… Does that mean he wants to st- My eyes widened as I watched him jump off of the ledge, I rushed to it just in time to see him hit the ground and roll over his shoulder. Remarkably, he stood up unscathed. How did he become so good at navigating the terrain? To be honest I was a little envious at his ability. I guess sitting inside everyday explains my lack of talent.

As I stared down at him, I noticed that the majority of planks had already been dragged over from the forest. He was beginning to bundle up another load. "What do you mean, 'that's where you come in'?"

He looked up at me as he crouched to pile the wood. Reaching into his hoodie, he pulled out a short red stick. I recognised it almost instantly, dynamite… "I'm really good at destroying things. But I can't build or craft for shit." Placing the explosive back to whichever hidden pocket it came from, he returned to his task.

I mulled the situation over. "So you want me to build a house. That's why you were watching me, and why you protected me…" The respect I had gained for him diminished slightly.

"No. I protected you because it was fun. And also I'm a show off."

The corner of my mouth turned upwards in a small grin. "Fine. But I've got some questions to ask you."

His distaste was obvious.

* * *

By the time we had collected and retrieved all of the materials we needed it was already mid-morning. I traced a quick blueprint in the dirt as we sat on the logs that had been placed across from each other. Isaac watched on attentively.

In the short time that had passed, I had managed to survey the small outcrop of land in a new light. It was across the grasslands from where I had spawned, and yet one edge still dropped off into the crashing ocean below. It would seem that we were on an island that had somehow been raised significantly out of the unforgiving sea. Although that observation was not final, we could still be attached to the mainland somewhere…

Anyway, the hill itself was quite large and it was raised even further, setting its peak above that of the surrounding land. It was quite an odd creation, now that I looked at it. It would have taken a freak of nature or decades of mishap erosion to create it. But never the less, it was here now.

I returned my attention to the blueprint in front of me. My plan was simple, so simple in fact that it could be described in four words. So simple that decades of engineers and builders had done the same thing over and over on repeat. So simple that I was probably just wasting time by drawing a blueprint at all. It combined all of my knowledge on practical construction and assembly into one.

It was a rectangle.

"Seriously?" My companion complained.

"We can add more rooms later, but for now this will be a good base." I nodded at the logs that had not yet been stripped into planks. "We can use those for corner posts. If we use a notching system we won't have to make nails." Isaac stared at me vacantly. I shrugged and handed him a plank that I had carved slightly to resemble a shovel. "Start digging."

He seemed happy to get started and began work at the points I had specified. In the meantime, I busied myself with finding an alternative to wooden tools. My trusty axe had broken long ago and that shovel wouldn't hold out long either. We needed something more durable. Metal would be the preference, but to mine metal we needed tools…

It created a hopeless circle. Metal for tools, tools for metal. My eyes became unfocused as I gazed off at the hulking stone giants in the distance. Their summits were still coated in a thin layer of crisp white snow and sometimes the occasional cloud would shield them from view.

Stone…

I leapt to my feet as the idea began to form. I would need something to mine the stone with first so that meant a wooden pickaxe. I hurried to collect the toughest pieces of oak I could find. Deciding that my seat would now serve as a crafting table, I chipped away at the wood with one of the sharp rocks that scattered the ground. It took a painfully long while but eventually I stood up triumphantly.

This pickaxe, albeit a little oddly shaped, would be my best chance at progressing in this world. I looked up to find Isaac lying on the floor, only two of the four holes had been dug and the second one looked more like a crater. His dark sunglasses were on and his blackish brown hair flickered in the wind. Was he… Taking a nap?

"Isaac."

"Mmm?" He didn't move.

"What are you doing?"

A new gust of wind swept through the air, he waited until it had died down. "Building is hard."

"No, you're just lazy." I replied, with an annoyed pang of realization.

He yawned. "That too."

I sighed and swung my tool over my shoulder, making for the edge. Carefully, I climbed downwards and somehow managed to avoid slipping on the loose surface. I had no intention of being caught out in the dark again so I made haste towards the mountains in the distance.

It was a struggle in some places as the grass crept up higher and higher. Before long it was a tangled mess that gathered around my waist. But when I watched how the fields of untamed greenery moved like a set of calming waves in the wind, it wasn't so bothersome. In fact it reminded me of the wheat fields that sat on the city's outskirts. Half way past summer's dawn, each grain would have grown to a similar height. I used to spend hours staring at them before I had found the entertaining world that was the internet.

I would have to take Key there sometime… If she was still… I shook my head in annoyance. Thinking about the possibilities would solve nothing. My goal was to survive until I found a way to get back, that was all. There was nothing more important.

The next footstep landed on something harder than grass, I looked down in interest. Stone? Had I already come this far? I turned around to find the small island that would soon be our home only just visible in the distance. Checking the sun, I made haste. It was already past midday.

Bracing myself for disappointment, I hoisted the oaken pick above my head and slammed it down into the stone beneath me. If it broke now, then we had no chance of surviving for long. The handle vibrated fiercely in my hands, making me want to drop it. But I held tight and examined what impact my efforts had made. My pride swelled in my chest. A clear dent and a few small cracks spread out from the tip of the tool.

It was possible after all.

* * *

Isaac lay exactly where I had left him. Not a care in the world for what was going on around him. My anger bubbled as I realised that we would be spending another night in the open darkness. He raised a hand to point at something. Confused, I followed his gesture.

Not only had he dug the holes, he had also managed to lift the giant logs into them and pack them down with dirt, a task that I had thought impossible for a single being. He grinned, smugly. I dropped everything that I had collected next to him.

The boy jumped up in fright, the smug grin replaced with a hurried surprise. What lay before him was a neatly crafted stone pick, a brand new axe, a pile of stone shards and a few lumps of black substance which I had presumed to be coal.

He looked up at me blankly, obviously oblivious to what I had accomplished. "What's this stuff?"

My head dropped in defeat. "Let's just finish the house."

We began working on carving notches into the corner posts, this way we could simply sit the planks into them and let gravity act as our nails. As the time passed I eventually decided to ask some of the questions that were still running rampant around my head. "You said something about villagers before… Are they human?"

Isaac did not turn from his task. "Something like that. They live further inland so I don't usually see many of them, except for the few that turn up out here."

I nodded. "You're not human though, are you?"

His head tilted slightly. "Not bad." The boy turned from his task and gave an exaggerated bow. "Isaac Gilan, a pleasssssure to meet you." His prolonged hiss only confirmed what I had been contemplating. This boy was not a human… He was a Creeper hybrid. I instantly felt more wary of him, remembering the horrid green creatures that had chased us earlier. He gave me a quizzical stare. "You're not scared?"

"Should I be?"

A thoughtful expression crossed his face. "Only on Mondays."

Monda- What? What was he on about? Before I could reply he had already returned to work, ending the conversation. With an exasperated sigh I followed suit.

And so we progressed. Slowly. But before long our walls were up and our roof was on. Isaac stood next to me as we inspected our creation proudly. "Awesome."

"I feel like we've forgotten something…" I stated, examining the structure for defects.

Isaac said nothing as he joined the search for the missing factor. Corner posts, walls, roof and even a small window that looked out onto the sea… Why was there such a nagging feeling that something was wrong?

In a single instant we both knew exactly what it was.

"Shit." Both Isaac and I swore simultaneously.

* * *

Taking up my axe, I began to hack away at the side of the house. A few moments later I was finished and joined the Creeper boy again, looking on our achievement in a new light. Corner posts, walls, roof, a window and now a recently added door. It was complete.

We sat inside, sheltered from the wind and the terrors of the night. Safe. We could relax. The torches I had crafted gave of a warm yellow glow that occupied the room. I took another bite of the apple Isaac had shared for dinner. It was hardly a feast, my stomach still growled in protest, but it was better than nothing.

The hybrid sat up against the opposite wall, fiddling with a stick of dynamite. He gave off such a confident aura that my worry was minimal. "What are hybrids?"

"The million dollar question." He held the stick up to the light, inspecting it for something that was unknown to me. When he was satisfied, he continued. "I remember screaming." He paused to let his words sink in. "From the little I found out before I was abandoned, a hybrid is made, not born. Two beings, forced into one. A human with a mob."

Two beings, forced into one? "Who creates them?"

He smirked. "Wish I knew."

Sensing a dead end, I tried a different question. "You said 'abandoned'."

With a sigh, he answered. "Meshing two bodies together is possible, as you can see. But meshing two souls is a completely different matter. When they've finished with you, you've either got the mob's soul or the human's."

The overload of information was beginning to exceed my limits but I pushed forward anyway. "So the ones that have human souls…"

"Are thrown into the wild to fend for themselves. Failed experiments." Isaac finished for me, subtly spitting the last few words out.

I paused to get my head around the data. So that means that Key, is more human than Enderman, as is Isaac more so than Creeper. I sighed. As usual the answer of one question only raised a dozen more. Who or what creates the hybrids? Why are they being created? Why is it that the ones with human souls are rejected? This was starting to become a hydra of trivia. "How many human hybrids are there?"

He raised an eyebrow, surprised at my question for some reason. "Not many. I've only ever met a few and most of them have tried to kill me."

"Kill you?" He seemed so at ease with what he had just said.

"Yeah, there was one a few days ago actually, skeleton. The bitch shot an arrow into my shoulder."

He hadn't answered my question at all. "Why?"

Shrugging, the creeper explained. "Every race blames every other race for the weird things that have been going on lately. It's like a full-fledged war. Better to stay away from the inland, where nobody really gives a fuck."

His use of the word 'inland' as opposed to 'mainland' lead me to believe that we were not stranded on an island after all. It was an odd thing to be noticing when he had basically told me that mobs were sentient and intelligent, had a political system and were at each other's throats in just a few sentences.

I was tired. For the past hour I had been ignoring my strained eyelids, but they were relentless. We had been working all day, I suppose it was only natural. Yawning, I lay down on the soft grass. "Let's pick this up tomorrow."

Isaac began examining another explosive. "Agreed."

My head had barely hit the ground before I was dead to the world. Only a few trails of thought lingered into my dreams. Most of it nonsense, but one image stood out. It wasn't an image so much as an ocean, but then again it was not an ocean either… White, as far as the eye could see… It was comforting, in some way. Warm. An overwhelming feeling of completion…

Mmph. Go to sleep David…

* * *

A bone chilling scream rocked me from my slumber.

* * *

**Author Note:**

How ominous. As you may have noticed, I prefer writing interactions between characters as opposed to individual actions. I'm trying to get better, but... Failing miserably. :D No, no seriously. I hope I'm still doing this story justice. And what's happened to Key and Raven? Are they still alive? Or am I that much of an ass hole that I've just gone and killed them off, replacing them with two new characters? Who knows, who knows...

Thanks heaps for your continued support. OC's are always welcome and feedback even more so. Chapter seven will be here soon.

Update: My cap gun has been confiscated.

\- SylentDoom


	7. I'm going to fucking kill you

**Author Note:**

"Whaaaaaat? He's actually published a chapter at a reasonable time?"

Indeed I have. But before I start ranting about something random again, shout outs.

Of course, thank you to Techhy, who has encouraged me to continue writing more times than I thought possible. I'll be sitting there saying "Nooooo, I can't write anymooooore." And then I'll get _another _awesome review from him and I'm like; "Fiiiiiiiiiine, I suppose I can get a few more paragraphs out tonight." In fact, I encourage you to check out his Minecraft fiction, Fun with Blocks. It's got a pretty good story line and I for one, am interested in seeing where it goes.

Le link: s/10972315/1/Fun-with-Blocks

Moving on... vicchavez007, thanks for your review. I took a look at your profile and included some bacon in this chapter just for you. :D

And of course, all of the people who have followed me and Endergirl. You legends.

And we mustn't forget the Guest, who will always leave brilliant reviews. You guys/guy or girls/girl are awesome. Never forget that.

Alright, this authors note is getting too long. Regardless, I tip my hat to all of you. Thank you, and enjoy.

* * *

**"I'm going to fucking kill you."**

A bone chilling scream rocked me from my slumber.

It was sudden, and quick. But I was sure I had heard it. Isaac, who was still sitting against the wall, smirked. He knew who the yelp of pain had come from. He grinned when he saw me staring at him. "Serves her right."

"Serves who right?" I asked hurriedly, sitting up.

He motioned to the door. "See for yourself."

I watched him closely before standing up, grabbing my stone axe just in case. Pulling the door open, I gazed out into the night, my eyes straining to focus. At first all I saw were the endless hordes of monsters that dotted the night, crawling around in unrecognisable patterns. It took me a moment to notice the large group that was collected in a single place, they were chasing something…

And that's when I saw her. Any features were unrecognisable from this distance but the pure white hair that fell over her shoulders made my mind tick in recognition. White…

She was making for the mountains, undoubtedly looking for shelter, vaulting over obstacles as easily as Isaac had. She was fast, but so was the pack that tailed her. It was only now that I noticed her limp. It was subtle, but that was what allowed the mobs to continue gaining on her.

There was no way she was going to make it.

Without thinking I started down the cliff, fumbling half way and dropping to the earth beneath me. I winced at the sudden burst of pain. Isaac appeared above me. "Dude what the hell are you doing?"

"I can't just let her die!" I shouted back at him.

He rolled his eyes. "She's the one that tried to kill me. She'll kill you too idiot."

But I wasn't listening. Something told me I had to save her. There was no other option. Without a second thought I clutched my axe in both hands and set off into the night at a sprint. Isaac swore and dropped down behind me, soon catching up.

It didn't take us long to near her. All of the mobs within the vicinity were focused on the girl, so we didn't have to fight at all. But as we closed the gap I began to realise how treacherous this journey was. There were masses of enemies, more so than last night, and if we intervened they would all be fixated on us…

She was fast, but from here I could see the snapped off arrow shaft that dug into the back of her thigh. She was losing blood and slowly losing speed. My eyes widened in shock as her foot caught on an upturned stone. She yelped in surprise as she fell to the ground, skidding slightly on the dirt. The monsters didn't stop and neither did I.

Finally, I reached her but Isaac held back, wary. As I neared, I was taken aback. The girl that lay before me was nothing other than beautiful. Not cute, not hot… Just…

Beautiful.

Her skin was fine while only slightly tanned, beneath the cloth and leather clothes she wore was a well-proportioned and curved figure, almost as if it had been carved by hand. And yet it was obvious that she was strong. She held what I presumed to be a curved bow, which was snapped in half along its centre, the two pieces held together only by the now useless bowstring.

She rolled over to face the oncoming horde, pulling a thin blade from its sheath that was strapped to her back. This was when she saw me. She starred as I ran towards her, her eyes, a bright grey. Grey… Like the clouds of a formidable storm. I could almost see the bright flashes of lightening. She was scared… But her jaw was clenched in a determination that pushed through her pain.

Her will to survive was overwhelming. How? How was she not frozen in fear? How could she drive herself to live on? An oncoming arrow penetrated her shoulder, a yelp of agony escaped her lips. But instead of loosening, her grip tightened around the hilt of her blade.

As I moved to kneel down next to her, the tip of the weapon nicked at my neck, a small trail of blood escaping from my skin. She stared along the sharpened edge, straight into my eyes. To her, I was an enemy.

I could hear the noises of the mobs, they were close… So close. Any second now I expected to feel a piercing arrow or a tear of flesh. And yet I was calm as I gazed back at her. We were judging each other, assessing, looking for faults. A moment longer than any I had ever experienced, it felt like a lifetime of stillness.

The sword lowered.

I took a deep breath. "May I?" I said, gesturing my intentions.

Her eyebrows furrowed in anger or embarrassment, I wasn't sure which. "I can walk."

Her voice was wisping and forced, but it contained a sense of melody… As if it could become soft and caring, although the obvious amount of pain she was in made that impossible. I shook my head. "Walking is not an option."

Carefully, I reached under her legs, just above the arrow that inhibited her. My other arm supported her back. Her skin was warm and soft… I forced the thoughts out of my mind and stood up hurriedly. She winced at the sudden movement. "Sorry, can you endure for a little longer?"

"Stop pitying me and run." She replied, her head dropping into her chest as she braced herself.

The monsters were almost a meter away. Isaac was nowhere to be seen. Swearing, I pushed through the closing gap and ran, sprinting towards the only safe place we had. The mobs were terrifyingly quick and did not hesitate to chase us through the grass that thrashed against my movements.

I struggled to hold onto the girl in my arms. "Don't you dare say I'm heavy." She said, almost guessing my thoughts.

Somehow I grinned despite being chased by a deadly horde through the night. I stumbled as the ground dipped unexpectedly. There was no time to get my feet under me, we were going to fall.

If we fell like this, she would hit the ground first, hurting her even more… Quickly, I used the last of my balance to rotate around her, my back now facing the hard surface beneath us. I hit the bare dirt with a dull thud. How many times had this happened in the last two days? It was as if the ground held a permanent grudge against me.

She lay at an odd angle on top of me, still hurt, but not as much as she would have been. She looked down at me in confusion. "Why? Why are you helping me?"

I stood once more, ignoring her question because even I did not know the answer. We were close, from here the warm glow of torchlight was visible atop our lonesome hill. This is where Isaac had escaped to. He knelt on the edge, hastily fiddling with something. What the hell was he doing? Couldn't he see we needed help?

It was only now that the most important dilemma became so blatantly obvious. How in god's name was I going to get a seriously injured girl up the cliff face, in the middle of the night, under arrow fire? I could hardly get up myself, I doubted even Isaac could perform this feat. I saw something fall from the edge, bouncing a few times against the stone wall before settling.

Isaac you fucking genius.

But despite having a rope ladder, was there still enough time to begin climbing before the mobs reached us? It was a miracle that we had made it this far at all. Furthermore… I needed at least one free hand to climb said ladder…

I twitched slightly. "Uhh… Um…"

The girl looked up at me, a little worried at my words, or lack thereof at this point. "What?"

The ladder was only a few steps away now, I didn't have time to waste on being delicate. "Forgive me!" With a little effort, I flipped the girl onto my shoulder. I couldn't hold onto her legs like I had before or I would worsen her injury, and if I held anywhere else she wouldn't stay put for long… There was only one option.

Hesitating for only I second, my hand moved to hold onto her… Ass. She went still. _Deadly _still. _Terrifyingly _still. The horrors that trailed behind us held nothing against the silence that resonated from her. She was _too _still…

"I'm going to fucking kill you."

There was no doubt. No hint of a lie. She really was plotting murder. I swallowed nervously as I stepped onto the first wooden rung, climbing as quickly as my limbs would allow. But on the third step something snagged at my pant leg. Fearing the worst, I glanced down to find the rotten figure of a zombie clutching onto me. I tried to kick it away but it was no use, despite its lack of any real flesh, it was incredibly strong.

"Live!" I heard Isaac shout from the top.

Live? Live what? A short red stick fell from above, landing but a few meters away. Was he insane! I didn't have to be a demolitionist to know that from this distance the explosive was lethal. He's trying to kill us! I held onto the injured girl tighter as I braced for the explosion.

The ground shook beneath us as the tool did its job, a ringing in my ears made me want to throw up. I was disorientated and dizzy. It took every ounce of my willpower to keep us from falling back to the ground.

Still tipsy, I looked down to see the remains of what had been chasing us. A bloody mess covered every inch of grass. Unrecognisable body parts were strewn around the blast radius like confetti. I gagged at the sight. The hand of the now obliterated zombie that had restrained me still clung to my jeans. The hand was still there, but it ended abruptly where it should have connected to the wrist, a jagged chunk of bone and green mince in its place.

The stench of death was overpowering, almost unbearable. I shakily climbed the remaining length to the top. Collapsing to the ground, only just managing to lower the one I protected from my shoulder and cushion her as she followed me to the earth. My palms pressed to my forehead in an attempt to stop the spinning. I could still feel her head resting against my chest which lead me to believe she was in a similar state.

"Isaac…" I groaned. His response was garbled and unrecognisable, but I continued anyway. "Never do that again…"

A blurry replica of his cocky laughter was the last thing I heard before my dizziness finally won me over.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Raven**

* * *

"Why does everything have to be black!? Choose some different colours for god's sake." I ranted at the girl standing before me, who shrunk back a little at my frustration.

"But I like black." She retorted.

I sighed. It wasn't that she didn't look good in the clothes, she did. But everything we had bought so far was the same darkened shade. At the moment she was admiring a knitted beanie in the mirror. It suited her, like every other thing had. It was almost as if she had the perfect figure and most natural features. I was a little jealous of the way every guy we passed turned to stare at her, they practically followed us around the mall. None of them were brave enough to say anything though.

I suppose it couldn't be helped. She was unfathomably adorable. The Endergirl seemed content with the item that sat on her head and turned to me. "I- Is this okay?"

I nodded. "Mm, it looks great on you."

The way her eyes closed and crinkled when she smiled made my heart flutter.

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

By the time I awoke it was already morning. The first rays of sunlight streamed through the few gaps that dotted the walls. Something was crackling from outside, whatever it was gave off a fragrance that made my mouth water. I sat up and instantly regretted it. My head spun and threatened to send me spiralling back to the ground. It took me a moment to stabilize myself but eventually I made it onto my feet.

Why was I so disorientated? Why did I fee- My memories snapped back into place, providing me with a detailed report as to last night's mission. Although, I didn't remember dragging myself inside… Isaac must have carried me in. I looked for the unknown girl that was the reason I had gone through so much, only to find that she was not with me. Had she recovered already? It wouldn't surprise me.

I dragged my feet to the door and pulled it open. The first thing I noticed was Isaac sitting next to a small fire, roasting bits of what appeared to be pork. So that's what the smell was. The second thing I noticed was the light mist of oncoming rain, it was hardly noticeable but still provided reason for the overcast sky. The third thing I noticed was a shivering girl, rolled up in a ball on the grass.

Right where I had left her.

"Why didn't you move her inside!?" I shouted at the cook as I ran to her.

He shrugged, as if the matter was of no concern. "I was hoping she'd die."

My gaze snapped to the hooded boy, glaring at him intensely. He stared back for a moment, but soon shifted uncomfortably and returned his eyes to the flames. Looking back to her, it was amazing how many features became visible in the sunlight.

Her face was angular, portraying hints of cheek bones underneath the perfectly toned skin. She was dressed in a basic, Caribbean style tunic that hung just below her shoulders. It was covered by a tight fitting leather vest. By the way it was scratched and torn in places it was obvious that fashion wasn't its primary purpose. Furthermore, and somewhat surprisingly, she wore denim short shorts. Like something you'd see at a popular beach in summer… If I ever went to a beach in summer.

But why? She didn't strike me as someone who would forsake armour for appearance… My mind flashed back to the ease of which she had moved last night, despite taking an arrow to the kne- Thigh, rather. She sacrificed the opportunity of protection and instead favoured speed and flexibility in movement.

Despite noticing all of this, she was still shivering on the ground, shrouded in the unsympathetic spray of the heavens above. As I moved to shift her, I noticed a pool of dry blood on the grass that supported the broken form. Two arrows, one in her shoulder, another in her leg. I tried to focus on one problem at a time and carefully rolled her onto her back, supporting her injured limb to avoid pain. She shifted slightly, but did not wake.

It was now, as she lay face up, that I noticed the scar. It ran diagonally through her left eye, starting on her brow and ending opposite her lips. It was long and prominent, a clear fault on the otherwise perfect surface. What had she suffered through that left such an enduring wound?

But it was no time for debate. As strong as she seemed, she had lost a lot of blood and most likely caught a cold. Gently, I picked her up, supporting her as I had before. Carrying the girl through the open doorway, I lay her down on the soft grass inside, safe from the elements. The torches were still burning, close to depleted, but still burning. I took one from the wall and planted it in the ground next to her. It wasn't much, but it would provide some warmth.

If I really wanted to help her though, I would need bandages and something similar to a blanket. Disinfectant would help, but I reasoned the resource impossible around here. Recalling a certain animal from the game, I didn't have to think for long in order to come to a decision. I grabbed my faithful axe that had been leant against the wall, and ventured into the bleak weather outside again, shutting the door behind me.

Isaac looked up from the still sizzling meal. Two portions had been set out on small planks of wood. "Here." He said, gesturing to one of them.

My stomach gargled. I had barely eaten anything for the past three days… It was a struggle to restrain myself from scoffing down more than a few pieces. The meat was salty and crisp, like something you'd expect to find at an old American dinner. Still, I managed to leave half of my portion the way it was.

Isaac sighed. "Why are you trying to save her? She's practically dead already."

"Why are you trying to kill her?" I retorted.

He shrugged. "I've never really liked skeletons."

Skeletons… She was, a hybrid? Another hybrid… How many of them are there! What are the chances of meeting three in a single week?

The creeper seemed to notice my thoughts. "She's been following me for the past few days. I thought I'd lost her, but I guess not."

I shook my head. "Well like it or not, we're going to help her recover. You can go back to killing each other after that."

An intense staring competition proceeded for the next minute, before he finally caved in.

"Fiiiiiine." He muttered, before sulking over his breakfast. I glanced back at my plate, swallowing as I saw the crisp strips of bacon that I was about to part with… Maybe one mor- Isaac shifted the wooden board away from me. "These are for her."

Snapping out of my trance, I grinned at him and began descending the cliff face yet again. Interestingly, the blood that had been shed the night before was nowhere to be seen. All that remained was clean and crisp green grass, sparkling with dew. Perhaps the rain had rinsed it away? Or had the sun disintegrated the monsters remains as it did every dawn?

There was no way of knowing, so I discarded the thought. Looking out upon the subtlety slopping planes I began walking.

There were other things to worry about after all…

* * *

**Perspective Change: Raven**

* * *

I groaned as an ear shattering wolf whistle pierced the air behind us. There had been a small group tailing our movements for the last few minutes and it seemed at least one of them had enough courage to announce it.

Key turned around in confusion.

I let go an exasperated sigh. This was going to be interesting.

* * *

**Author Note:**

Key and Raven are still alive! For now... Muhahahaha.

*Ahem* So, chapter seven huh? I put a bit of effort into this one so I hope you like it. Let me know what you think. :)

OH OH OH, did I mention we've got like 1550 views so far this month!? Well we do! Although it still kind of pisses me off that chapter three has more views than chapter two... Not sure how that happened. But anyways, good hustle everyone.

Update: I've been discreetly searching the house for my cap gun all week.

Next time then, ciao.

\- Sylent


	8. Cookies and cream

**Author Note:**

I wrote a whole chapter in a single day. Surprise!

Alright, no seriously though. Before I went to bed last night I saw this massive spider in my office. Like it was the size of Jacob's ego. (Spoiler Alert) Anyway, when I woke up, it was gone. So I've moved all of my stuff into the spare room until I find it again...

Oooooo, story idea.

So, chapter eight. And it presents another one of your OCs! I'll give credit in the next chapter though because I don't want to spoil anything important.

On with the story then. Oh and Raven is starting out.

* * *

**Cookies and cream.**

We had been walking around the mall for the past few hours. When I had suggested it, I had no idea how exhausting it would be. Key's energy levels were far beyond those of a normal teenage girl. She rushed excitedly between stores, starring through their windows in awe of what was inside. The items ranged from clothes, to candles, to games and even to stationary. It didn't matter what it was, everything was new to her. And she was curious about it all.

With her long strides it was difficult for me to keep up. Although we had to stop more than once for her to rest. Endurance was one of the few things that she did not retain. I suppose if I had the power to disappear and appear anywhere at will, I wouldn't be too used to walking around frantically either. We had already had the conversation about teleporting in public. She was sceptical at first, but reluctantly agreed when I explained that she would probably be kidnapped by the government if she did. She really was a strange creature.

Still… I could feel the stares. Most of them were dazed or awed, but a select few were… Something darker. It was dangerous, being exposed like this. But I reasoned that the hybrid Endermen wouldn't attack in plain sight of normal people. I didn't know for sure, but it was a theory that had to be tested.

Although, I thought as another group of boys passed us, starring at my companion. Were the hybrids our only worry?

"Raven?" I snapped back to reality and looked across the table we had decided to rest at. It was positioned in front of a small café, out in the open air with only a faint breeze to disturb us. Key was studying me, a worried look on her face. "You had a scary expression."

I smiled and laughed a little nervously. "Sorry, I was just thinking about something." Her head titled to the side in question, a few strands of purple hair falling across her eyes. Giving a reassuring smile I took a sip of the coffee I had ordered. "Don't worry about it."

She nodded. "Do you think… M- Maybe, I could… Order another donut?" The last few words dropped into a hushed mumble.

"Do you know how many you've had today?" I smirked. We both knew the answer. It was at least ten. "If you don't watch how many you eat, you'll gain weight."

The Endergirl shook her head. "Hybrids don't gain weight."

She said it as if it were blatantly obvious. "Why not?" I asked, peering over my cup.

"We're designed to be perfect. We don't age, we don't grow, and if we're injured we heal in a matter of days."

I glared at her. It explained so much. I suppose if you're trying to make a new creature you give them the best of everything. It also explained why every hybrid that I had seen so far was so god damn attractive.

I sighed, finally deciding that I was too tired to go on. "We should start heading back soon. David's probably bored mad without us."

Key blushed a little at his name, the memory of falling asleep on him rising back into her mind. I grinned, who knew that David was capable of such a feat? And with such a cute girl too…

Knowing him, he probably didn't even mean for it to happen. Mm, it was definitely a fluke. I poured the last dregs of coffee down my throat and stood up, Key followed suit. I might have been tired, and David might have been bored without us, but the real reason we were leaving was because… Well, I was broke. The Endergirl had somehow managed to deplete the majority of my savings in a single day.

The prospect of money seemed foreign to her. There obviously wasn't a similar custom in the End. I didn't really mind though, the only thing I was saving for were throwing knives. Custom weighted throwing knives… But I seemed to forget the fact every time she asked me; 'I- Is this okay?' It would appear I wasn't as strong willed as I had thought. Not when it came to cuteness anyway.

As we walked through the halls, the once overflowing crowds now dwindling, I began to notice the stares again. Each person we passed had one of three reactions when they laid eyes upon Key, who shyly averted her gaze each time.

One, awe.

Two, jealously.

Three… Want.

The latter was the most subtle, but also the most worrying. Hell it was a Saturday afternoon, at a popular mall in a small city. The place was practically filled with people our age. Couples on dates, groups of friends going to the cinemas, the occasional loner that ran out of ice cream at home and only ventured outside of their bedroom in order to find more. To be fair I usually fit in with the loner group, but I tried to ignore that fact.

Regardless of who it was, there was always a small portion of guys that we passed who stared at Key in a… Dirty, way. I suddenly felt protective of her. She was, of course, oblivious to what I was observi-

We were descending the stairs to the ground level when an ear shattering wolf whistle pierced the air behind us. I groaned, someone had finally found the balls to do something. Key turned around in confusion and I was left no choice but to duplicate her action.

When I saw what lay before us, I regretted turning around instantly. Jacob, took a few more stair steps towards us. Masculine, a little on the pasty side, blonde and of course, blue eyed. He wore an expensive looking leather jacket over a white undershirt. His hair was swept backwards so as not to obscure his vision through the dark shades that he wore. He was notorious for having a way with women. In fact I was sure he had dated almost every girl in the grade at some point.

He strode towards us until he was on the same level, flanked by a group of three. Grinning cockily, looking Key up and down as if she were a three course meal. I smirked when I noticed him stand up a little straighter, trying to match Key's height. Amusingly, he fell short by a few millimetres.

His cocky attitude turned hostile. "What's so funny Raven?"

I raised an eyebrow. "The fact that you think you've got a chance with her."

Key looked at me, still confused. She was as innocent as ever.

Unable to think up a retort, the boy returned his attention to the purple haired girl. "My name is Jacob, Jacob Tennant. It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm sure." Before I could react, he took Keys hand and kissed it softly.

The girl recoiled almost as soon as the action had taken place. In fact, I wasn't even sure if he had managed to pull it off at all. She held the endangered hand close to her chest, stepping towards me a little. "I- I'm Key."

Jacob's eyes narrowed slightly, but his recovery time was uncanny. "Forgive me, I was a little forward. Key, was it? It's a beautiful name."

If I didn't know better I would have almost thought him a gentleman. Deciding that letting this progress any further might be dangerous, I spoke up. "Alright Jacob, you've met the pretty girl, now fuck off."

He flinched a little at my words. Although remarkably, he managed to hold in his anger and tutted at me instead. His role as a well-mannered teen prevailing. "Raven, Raven, Raven. I'm just talking to her, it's not every day you see someone so…" He looked back to the girl. "Cute."

I rolled my eyes. "Then say what you have to say and leave, asshole."

The fake smile was wiped from his face. His hand grasped at my shoulder as he pushed me against the wall of the stairwell, the rough concrete slamming into my skin. "Show a little respect, bitch."

Instinctively, I reached for one of the holsters that held my hatchets against my thighs.

Key may not have quite understood being hit on, but she could recognise aggression. "P- Please don't fight."

"You should go on by yourself Key, I'll be right there." I replied, knowing that the stuck up boy wouldn't back down.

Jacob laughed. "She's not going anywhere."

As if on cue, the three thugs that were his entourage moved to cut off the exits. I stared daggers into the threat before me. "Just let her go. That way she won't have to watch your ass getting handed to you."

"There's four of us, Raven. And if you don't start treating my nicely…" He threw a fist into my stomach.

I let go a gasp of breath as the air was knocked out of me. Four. Maybe three… But four? They would be on me in seconds. It would take a miracle t-

The echoing sound of a dooring being opened a few floors up, followed by a perfected whistle. I recognised the tune and for some reason voiced the lyrics in my head.

_Falling down, falling down. London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady…_

Everybody turned to watch the stairs, waiting for whoever it was to reveal themselves. Interestingly, I noticed the tune stopping at odd places and resuming a few seconds later. It was a little annoying actually, and I couldn't help but wonder what the whistler was doing during such breaks.

The origin of the haphazard melody stopped a few steps above us, as did the song. He wore a plain orange shirt, classic denim jeans, and converses. His hair was a mess of tangled brown, sticking out at odd angels. A large tub of ice cream was clutched in his hands, cookies and cream. The boy, perhaps a year or two older than I was, held a plastic spoon in his mouth as he stared down at the scene before him with a single brown eye and a single green one.

He tilted his head to look at Key, then at myself, then Jacob. Descending the last few steps, he stared into Key's eyes. She shifted a little, but stared back, glancing briefly at his ice cream.

The boy slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out another plastic spoon. He scooped up a small portion of the contents in the tub and held it out to the Endergirl. Her eyes lit up as she took the offering without a second thought and savoured its flavour.

He smiled. "You're pretty."

She blushed a little. "Th- Thank you."

His smile somehow got bigger. But as he turned to face me, it returned to a straight line. His eyes studied me intensely. He was looking for something… Almost as if something about me was wrong and he was trying to detect what it was. The mismatched eyes danced with a childish attitude as they stared into mine.

"Smile." He ordered.

I glanced briefly at Jacob, who seemed about as befuddled as I was. Complying with the request, I forced the corners of my mouth up a little.

His satisfaction was overwhelming. "You're pretty too."

Jacob flickered his gaze back to me, trying to see whatever is was that the mysterious boy saw. He must have, because his eyes widened a little behind his shades. It was my turn to shift slightly as I replied. "Thanks…"

The boy's quizzical gaze now found its way to Jacob, who puffed himself up a little, preparing to be complimented. I expected something like 'You're handsome' or 'Nice sunglasses'.

The exceptionally strange teen glared viciously at his feet. "Your shoelace is untied."

I couldn't help but giggle. Giggle? Where the fuck did that come from? I don't giggle. I laugh at people and their stupidity. I _don't _giggle. Clearing my throat, I watched the events unfold.

A tub of ice cream was shoved into Jacobs now deflated chest as the brown haired boy kneeled down. I noticed something odd as he retied the hazard. Since Jacob was holding the giant tub, he couldn't actually see what was happening. The laces were being tied… But they were being tied _together. _Whoever this kid was, he was smart.

When he stood up, Jacob had recovered from the initial puzzlement that almost every one of us had been plunged into when the stranger arrived. "Listen here dickhead, we're kind of in the middle of something."

The boy nodded, first at him but then at me. "Indeed you are."

Raising my leg, I kicked Jacob hard in the chest, fully extending to send him as far as possible. The tub of cookies and cream went flying upwards as he slammed against the opposing wall and staggered, attempting to regain his footing. But the task was impossible with a string connecting both feet. He swore as he fell backwards and rolled down the next flight of stairs, falling still at the bottom. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw both Key and our saviour rush towards the now gravity infected desert. I saw them dive for it simultaneously, but I didn't have time to see the outcome. The three thugs that had been standing guard jolted towards me. Within a split second, my hatchets were grasped in my hands and I flew towards them.

Spinning around the first fist, I slammed an elbow into the boy's temple, sending him to the ground. I ducked under the next attack and landed a solid blow with the blunt side of my axe to the chin. But in doing so, I had left myself open to be hit square in the side, which the last offender took advantage of, sending me back a few steps in pain.

Brushing off the hit, I ran towards him. His guard was good, well held, I'd need a different angle. As I was about a meter away I dodged sideways, planting a foot on the concrete wall and flipping forwards, letting my axe swing around to crack against his skull.

The now motionless body slumped to the floor just as I landed, crouched. My breath was shaky, as it was after every fight. Adrenaline pumped through my veins and it took me a few seconds to contain myself. Eventually, I managed to stand up and slide my tools back into their holsters.

I examined the scene around me. Three fallen here, one at the bottom of the stairs. They weren't badly injured, just unconscious, I had made sure of that.

A small grin spread across my lips. Naat'áanii would be proud.

Key and the unknown boy sat over a mess of quickly melting desert, the tub upturned on the filthy concrete floor. Their faces were the pure definition of sadness and sorrow. They stared at the treat like two horribly deprived puppies, separated forever from their bone.

We may not have lost the melee, but we had lost something far more precious…

We had lost, the ice cream.

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

Hunting was difficult, to say the least. In games it was much simpler. But here, every time I got even remotely close to that damn sheep, it bolted.

I glared at it from my hiding place. For the last hour I had been chasing it around, trying to herd it into a corner, but it wasn't as stupid as I had thought. It ran circles around me like there wasn't even a challenge. So I had decided to try a different tactic. I found a slight dip in the ground, most likely from a long past creeper explosion, and crawled into it. Covering myself with the greenest grass I could find.

It was only a matter of time…

The creature edged closer, searching for a worthy meal. Not yet…

It seemed to sight the grass I had laid out as bait, and trotted a little further. Not yet…

It took another step forwards, lowering its head to munch on the greenery. Now.

I jolted forwards, tackling the wool laden animal to the ground and sitting atop of it. It struggled and squirmed underneath me, shrieking with a high pitched wail. Taking up my axe, I hesitated for a moment as I realised what I was about to do. I was about to take the life of something that had done me no wrong… But I had to. If I wanted to survive, I had to.

"Forgive me." I uttered under my breath.

The axe fell against its throat and the struggle ended, only a few final kicks proceeding it.

I sighed as I stared down at what I had… Accomplished, wasn't the right word. The strenuous tug of guilt rested in the pit of my stomach. But the act was done now, I had to make the most of what had been taken… I searched for a place to begin the gruesome task of skinning.

Perhaps a life could be saved through another's sacrifice.

* * *

**Author Note:**

Yeah, Jacobs a prick. And that's why he got his ass handed to him! :D

Anyway. Please, more OCs. I may kill them off or they might turn into filler characters, but then again, they might become heroes. Who knows? Still, let me know what you think and I'll get chapter nine to you soon. Ciao. :)

Update: I found my cap gun and am now hunting down a spider with it.

\- Sylent


	9. Pure Malicious Evil

**Author Note:**

Alright, no wait, I can explain! I had a horrible case of writers block, I swear! It wasn't my faaaauuuult! D':

Also... I may or may not have started writing another story. Not that I don't love writing Endergirl, just that I had too many ideas that I was trying to fit into one place. Anyway, its not a fan fic so if I ever decide to publish it, it'll be on FictionPress. But I'll be sure to let you guys know when/if that happens. :)

Moving on. Koridas! Thank you for your brilliant OC. I'll try and describe him in the way that you did, but I might have a bit of trouble. Anyway, good job and hopefully you'll all enjoy this chapter a little more than I did writing it. :D

* * *

**Pure. Malicious. Evil.**

I was a little shocked when I walked through the door and found the injured girl sitting up. She must have only just awoken as she still seemed a little dazed. As she examined her surroundings, her gaze fell upon me and she instantly reached for her blade.

"Wai-" My protest was cut short as she bolted towards me.

She managed the first step with ease and was almost within range, however the second laboured on her injured limb strenuously. She gave a small shriek and began to fall. Without thinking I dropped the woollen sheepskin in my arms and caught her before she could do any more damage to her already weakened body.

The girl stared up at me, ferocity replaced with confused gratitude. But it didn't take long for the anger to resurface. She pushed out of my arms and limped over to the adjacent wall, glaring at me.

I sighed. "Do I really look like that much of a threat?"

"You look like that much of an idiot." She replied. Her voice was no longer as strained as it had been the other night. It was softer, yet still commanding.

"Well, whether I'm an idiot or not, I'm going to treat those wounds. You can kill me afterwards, okay?"

The girl seemed a little shocked at my response. "I really will kill you."

"I know, I know." I began stripping the sheepskin I had gathered into bandage size pieces. The hybrid shifted awkwardly, watching me work. Once I had finished, I turned to face her. A sceptical study was all I got in return.

I gave a small reassuring smile. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Her eyes locked on mine. "Yeah, like pulling the fucking arrows out isn't going to hurt."

I laughed. She wasn't stupid. She wouldn't be swayed by lines like that. "Trust me once before you cut me down, at least."

Another intense battle of wills, as we stared into each other's eyes. Judging, assessing, looking for faults.

We found none.

She took a hesitant step towards me, and then another, until she was just within reach. "I'll do the shoulder first, do you want to sit down?"

"Just pull the damn thing out." She mumbled, her pride obviously a bit hurt from having to rely on me.

I grasped the splintered shaft and glanced up at her to see if she was ready. The girl nodded slightly. Returning my full attention to the task at hand, I slowly began sliding the unwelcome ailment from the wound.

The only noise that came from the pain was an almost unnoticeable wince. She was strong, pain did not control her. But the armament dug deeper than I had estimated, and once the edge of the now crimson metal arrow head came into view, a good portion of her arm was soaked with blood. In a last ditch effort, I tugged at the hazard, releasing it from her unwanted hold.

A gasp escaped her lips, making me feel a little guilty for being so forceful. Quickly, I discarded the arrow and wrapped her shoulder with the makeshift bandage that was clasped in my other hand.

I decided to distract her from the pain. "My name's David, by the way."

She watched as I continued dressing the wound. "David…" I tied the bandage off as she considered the term. "It's a stupid name."

I jumped a little at the unexpected response. "What?! It's a cool name."

The skeleton shook her head. "It sounds like something parents call their kid when they have no idea what to call it." Her voice switched to imitate what I guessed was a middle aged father. "Hmm, let's call him David! Because we're short on time and I can't be bothered to think of something better."

Mopping, I ignored her. "Lay down."

She lay down on her stomach, letting her head lull to the side. The next arrow was lodged a little deeper than the last, I could see that now, but it couldn't be helped. Gently, I began working on it.

"David?" Her voice had returned to its previous calming melody.

"Mmm?"

She seemed to hesitate for a second. "You never answered me last night."

My mind ran back to her question. 'Why? Why are you helping me?' I never did answer her. I suppose I still didn't know the answer myself… "I don't know."

Her eyes fell closed, softly, and she smiled. It was beautiful. A pure white smile, gentle and tolerant. I wished time would come to a halt just so I might admire it a little longer. "What kind of answer is that?"

I couldn't help but smile in response. The tip of the arrow began to show itself, she tensed. Finally, she was free of the projectile. I quickly began wrapping the second bandage around her thigh, it was a little awkward, but neither of us acknowledged it. Tying the strip off, I sat back, admiring my work.

She joined me, sitting up with a little difficulty. "Amber."

"Amber?"

"It's my name, idiot."

I grinned, she had given me a fragment of trust. "It's a stupid name."

The newly introduced girl pouted. "I hate you."

Laughing, I stood up and held out a hand to her. "Come on, let's get some food into you."

She glared at me for a moment, but soon her soft skin brushed against mine. Her hands were scratched and well used, but still warm and gentle. I guess she wasn't going to kill me…

Yet.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Raven**

* * *

The boy with the untamed brown hair and mismatched eyes happily devoured another spoonful of cookies and cream. Key followed suit, digging her spoon into the almost full bucket and shovelling out a decent portion for herself. They seemed so satisfied eating it. Their eyes scrunched up in joy at every bite.

It was incomprehensibly adorable.

Two teenagers, with the minds and souls of children. I felt like their mother, as we sat outside the local gelato place. Well, it was gelato, originally. But within the first few weeks of business they quickly remodelled to sell only the largest and cheapest buckets of authentic American flavours. They still kept the excessively long French name that nobody could pronounce though. So everyone simply titled it, the gelato place.

I wasn't sure if I should interrupt or not, but if I didn't they would probably just continue eating the whole tub without a second thought, completely ignoring me in the process. "So, what's your name?"

At first I thought he didn't hear me, as he took a few more mouthfuls. Eventually he looked up, a faint speck of cookie dotting the corner of his mouth. "Koridas."

Koridas? Wasn't that a type of mixed martial arts or something? "That's a pretty unusual name…"

He thought for a moment. "Is it?" The next few seconds were spent in silent contemplation before he finally came to a compromise. "Well my advanced mathematics teacher used to call me Kori." He smiled. "So I guess you can call me Kori."

Advanced mathematics? Who the hell was this kid? "You must have a pretty impressive job." I couldn't help but prompt an answer. He was a little older than us so I figured he might have already graduated.

His response was fluid and honest. "No, I'm an engineer." I blinked, before laughing. He looked at me in confusion as I did, placing another spoonful of desert into his mouth. "You're weird, Raven."

Pausing, I stared at him across the table, instantly on edge. "I… Haven't introduced myself yet…"

"Neither has she. But she's still eating my ice cream." He prodded his spoon at the Endergirl, who was completely oblivious to the conversation. She squealed at the contact and hid under her hoodie.

"How do you know my name?"

The same confused expression spread across his features. "Why wouldn't I? You're in the grade below me."

"Grade below… I thought you said you were an engineer?"

He tapped the plastic implement against his lips, thoughtfully. "I've got the qualifications, just need to finish high school."

To have already passed high level university courses… He must be extremely intelligent. "I've never seen you at school before."

"Says the person that's always asleep."

He was of course, correct. "Touché."

The conversation drew to a close, as there was nothing else to discuss. His actions in helping us still confused me, but I doubted I would learn much from asking. I stared up at the sky. It was already past midday… What was David up to?

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

Isaac glared at Amber.

Amber glared at Isaac.

I sat awkwardly between the two. There was no need for introductions, as they seemed fairly well acquainted. They had both tried to kill each other, after all. Amber slowly removed a piece of bacon from her plate and popped it into her mouth. Isaac scrutinized every movement.

Sighing, I finally spoke up. "Can't you guys find something more constructive to do than plot each other's murder?"

"No." They answered simultaneously.

"Why do you hate one another so much anyway?"

Isaac spoke first. "Skeleton."

Followed by Amber. "Creeper."

"There's no other reason?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Silence.

"That's racism!" The two flinched at my sudden outburst, turning to face me. I continued. "You tried to kill him, because he's a creeper? And you tried to let her die, because she's a skeleton? Do you know how stupid that is!?"

They shifted a little. Kind of, but not quite, understanding what I was getting at. "There's nothing stupid about it… Creepers hurt people." Amber reasoned.

"So do skeletons." Isaac pointed out.

"Everything hurts someone at some point in their life, regardless of what species they are!"

The skeleton pressed a finger to her lips and looked up at the sky. "What about butterflies?"

The creeper concurred with her. "Mm, butterflies are almost as harmless as David."

They broke into a mocking laughter, somehow more at ease while teasing me. I sat by and waited for their fit to subside, not downtrodden in the _slightest._

Amber recovered first. "Actually, that's a good question. Why are you so uncoordinated?"

"I'm not! You guys are just insanely capable!" I yelped back at her.

The pair stared at me, a little confused. "You told me that you didn't come from a village… So where do you come from?" Isaac asked, finally.

I shrugged, not sure how to word it… "Another world."

The prospect didn't seem the least bit foreign to them. "The nether?"

"The End?"

So they knew that other worlds existed. But did they know about mine? "Earth."

A calm silence descended the air. Neither moved, neither spoke. They simply stared at me, assessing me as a new type of threat. A moment passed, and then another.

Eventually, Amber spoke up. "You're a player."

A player? There are others? Does that mean that every single person playing Minecraft has one of those machines running around in this world? She was awaiting my reply, so I answered plainly. "Yes."

"How did you get in?" Isaac asked, solemnly.

Honesty was probably the best plan of attack at this point. And so, I trailed off yet again into the rather lengthy story of how I came to meet the Endergirl and Siren, how we were being hunted and eventually, how I ended up here, in this vicious domain.

I should really start writing this stuff down.

* * *

"So all you want to do is get back to Earth, right?" The skeleton prodded. Her plate had long ago been depleted of food and she now sat on the edge of her seat, staring at me.

"Y- Yeah." I acknowledged.

Isaac exhaled. "Well… There _is _a way to do it…"

My head snapped to face him. "How?"

The two mobs looked at each other, and then back to me. "As you are now, it's impossible." He answered.

"As I am now… What do you mean?"

"He means that at the moment you could hardly kill a zombie, let alone an Enderman." Amber replied, blatantly.

An Enderman? Suddenly their plan became clear to me. When normal Endermen die, they drop Ender pearls. If someone throws said Ender pearl, then they teleport to wherever it lands. Which means if I can drop one through the eye slots of my Minecraft character…

I can get home.

It was so stunningly simple, I was surprised I hadn't thought of it before. Then again… They were right, my chances of killing an Enderman were miniscule. I needed to become stronger, faster.

I fixated my gaze on the only chances I had. They met my stare, expectantly. "Teach me."

The creeper answered first. "On one condition." I nodded for him to continue. "I'm coming with you."

I nodded. As far as I knew, he didn't exactly have anything to stick around for anyway. "Fair enough. What about you, Amb-"

The moment I laid eyes upon her evil grin I knew what lay in store. Maybe it would have been better if she had just decided to kill me… "Of course! After all… I owe you _so _much."

Pure. Malicious. Evil.

* * *

**Author Note:**

I don't even know where to begin with this note. I've been staring at my screen for the past ten minutes thinking; 'I should write something inspirational and motivating!' and 'Maybe I've got a funny story somewhere in my head that I could tell!' But the truth is...

It's 1:20 in the morning and I'm tired.

Goodnight.

\- Sylent


	10. Well it worked, didn't it?

**Author Note:**

Bam. Another chapter written in a single day. Ironically, it seems I manage to work the best on Sundays. Also, I think I've managed to shake my writers block, so this chapter will probably flow a little more smoothly than the last.

Well, however it turns out, its got to be better than my Religious and Values Education assignment, which is due tomorrow. Unsurprisingly, I still haven't started yet... I haven't actually gotten around to reading the task sheet either... Oh well, it'll work out. Maybe I'll just become a freelance writer and travel the world in search of good stories! Ooorrrrr, maybe I'll just end up living in my parents basement until my late thirties. (Probably more likely)

Regardless, here is chapter ten! Whooooo double digits!

* * *

**"Well it worked, didn't it?"**

I sprinted towards the fallen tree trunk, trying to think through the movements that I had to make. Both hands on the trunk, then jump. Hands on, jump. Or was it jump and then hands on? The obstacle neared. Isaac had insisted on finding the largest tree possible, meaning that once it had been felled, it was almost half my height.

I pushed off of the ground and planted my palms on the rough bark. I could feel my momentum carry me upwards, the vault almost taking me over the wooden hurdle.

Almost.

My foot caught and I flipped head over heels for the numerous time that day. I hit the now worn down dirt underneath me with a loud thud. Groaning, I sat up to hear Amber's laughter from the thick forest canopy above.

She balanced steadily on a tree branch, her legs swinging underneath her as she whittled away at a rather long stick with her short sword. I recalled the snapped hunting bow, it must have taken the damage while she was being chased… Regardless, she seemed content with crafting a new one.

"Hands first." Isaac suggested from his seat atop one of the large boulders that dotted this region of the woodlands.

I said nothing as I pushed myself back onto my feet, brushing off the newest layer of grime. After a rather lengthy argument, Isaac had reluctantly agreed to teach me the art of movement. Meanwhile, Amber had been almost _too _happy to take on the instruction of combat.

I feared for midday, which was when the two had decided to switch. The creepers lessons might have been painful and repetitive, but the skeleton had held the same evil grin for the past two hours. I shivered at the thought.

"Isn't there anything simpler we could start with?" I asked, again.

The dark sunglasses that covered his eyes did nothing to hide his amusement. "This is the simplest it gets."

I sighed as I readied myself again. Hands down, jump, tuck, extend, land. Five easy steps. Why couldn't I get this? Running at the accursed object again, I followed the instructions, thinking each one through as they happened.

I let out a frustrated growl as I hit the ground yet again.

"I don't get you. When there's a hot girl to save, you seem to do fine, but otherwise you're just a mess." Isaac noted.

Amber seemed to perk up at the mention. "Hot?"

"Terrifyingly ugly didn't really fit into the sentence properly." He retorted without missing a beat.

I waited for the creeper to be bombarded with arrows. But surprisingly, nothing came. She simply nodded and returned to her task. Did she… Agree? With what he had just said?

For now, I ignored the misplaced conclusion and decided to respond to Isaac's query. "I'm following all the steps, I just can't seem to string them together fast enough."

He massaged the back of his neck in thought. "I'm not really sure how to fix that…"

Amber fell backwards, letting her knees hold onto the branch for a moment before she flicked her legs under her body and landed on the ground with a cat like precision. It seemed her wounds were no longer an issue. In fact once the ailments had been removed, the bleeding soon subsided before stopping all together. Hybrids were amazing creatures. "I guess it's my turn then."

Isaac, although noticing that it wasn't quite time to swap, didn't complain. "As much as I want to stick around and watch David get his ass handed to him, I'm hungry." And with that, he stepped down from his podium and wandered into the thick overgrowth, quickly lost from sight. His faith in me was mesmerising. Not that I had much faith in myself either, at this point.

Amber strode towards me. I shifted a little as she neared, but restrained myself from stepping back. The girl seemed to be examining me, looking for something… She raised a hand to my arm, but hesitated, her eyes flickering upwards and her cheeks gaining the _slightest _hint of red. Maybe it was just the light… "May I?"

Still a little sceptical, I nodded at her to continue. Her fingers brushed against my skin, gently. I swallowed at the contact but remained silent. They ran up my wrist, along my forearm and eventually came to a rest on my bicep. I couldn't help myself from watching the way her eyes flickered, assessing some unknown detail. My shoulder came next, as she outlined the joint and my collar bone… Lastly my chest, tracing the muscles slowly.

She stepped back suddenly, as if only just noticing what was going on. "A- A broadsword, or maybe… A longsword." Her voice took on that slightly shy tinge that was so different from her personality.

Her actions became a little more understandable as she spoke. She had determined my ideal weapon by feeling the way my muscles were stitched together. It was an amazing talent, one that I reasoned only an expert could perform.

Turning face, she left me in the small clearing and disappeared into the trees. I wasn't sure if she wanted me to follow or not, so I stayed put. I waited for a time, listening to the faint chatter of unknown birds and leaves in the wind. Despite this world being so dangerous, it had its moments of beauty.

"Here." I jumped, not even noticing that the girl had returned.

She seemed fully recovered from her moment of tenderness, the evil grin making its triumphant return. She threw something towards me. Just managing to catch it, I held it up to the light. Simply put, it was a long stick, not quite the length of a staff. Probably the exact length of what she had assessed to be my perfect sword.

I looked up to find her carrying a similar object, although it was a fair bit shorter, which made sense considering her choice of blade. She took a few steps backwards, and dropped into a solid stance. Her left foot was forwards along with her shoulder, which created the smallest possible target to hit. Interestingly, her hold on the training weapon was reversed. Instead of the blade extending from her hand like one would have guessed, it was folded back against her forearm like she was wielding a knife.

I raised my 'sword' awkwardly, unsure of how to position myself. Holding the hilt in my right hand, I let the other hang back. It felt unnatural… The skeleton gave me no opportunity to think it over.

She bolted forward, stepping first to the left and then swinging low to the right. Hardly a second passed before she was within range. I had to block. But by the time I had finished that thought, the loud crack of oak against skin echoed through the air. I fell to the ground, my leg going limp from the attack. Despite holding the weapon at such an odd angle, she had managed to pack an incredible amount of force into it.

And it hurt like hell.

I withered on the ground, gasping at the air. My attacker stood over me. "Pathetic. You're too slow."

"I fucking know that!"

She sighed. "Again."

* * *

I spat a glob of blood at the ground and stared at the one who tortured me in the name of education. She stared at me, the usual spark in her eyes long ago replaced with a cold steely gaze. She took up her stance once again, that same, annoying stance. I gritted my teeth and waited. The only thing that would save me from another beating was clutched within both of my hands.

My energy was fading and I had more bruises than I could care to count. A cut along my lip constantly reminded me that the taste of blood was not a pleasant one. She was brutal, not bothering to tell me how to stand let alone how to hold the stupid thing. And yet she took another leap towards me, and then another.

Block.

I couldn't move quickly enough to intercept and the oaken shard barrelled into my side with a familiar strength. Why couldn't I keep up with her! It was infuriating. By the time I recognised what I had to do, it was already too late. "For fucks sake I get it!" I raged, stopping for a breath before I continued. "You said you were going to kill me and I doubted you."

"You don't get it." She replied, simply. I stared at her. "You think you understand and that's why you fail. Stop thinking."

Her words confused my manic thoughts. Stop thinking? What the fuck was that supposed to mean? I saw the girl ready herself again, a few meters away. "I can't stop thinking, nobody can just stop thinking."

"You've done it before."

What? When had I- She charged towards me, swinging in low before sprinting forwards in a frontal assault. I grimaced, bracing myself for another bruise. All I had to do was block it. Just find the direction of her weapon and interce-

But she wasn't attacking… She was falling.

I jolted forwards and caught her before she could hit the ground. It made no sense… She had been ready to hit me again, running at me with such confidence, but then she had just… The beautiful girl that lay within my arms stared up at me, a length of her pure white hair falling gently across her face, almost hiding the mysterious scar. The lively spark returned to her eyes.

Instantly I realised what had happened. Or rather, what _hadn't _happened. Once she began falling, I didn't even have to think about what to do… I simply, did it. We smiled at each other, her attempt at hiding the emotion only made it more prominent. "That was sly, Amber."

A playful look came across her features. "Well it worked, didn't it?" I stood up and let her back to her feet. She took a few steps back and dusted herself off, clearing her voice before speaking. "That's the last time I let you touch me." The authority in her eyes convinced me that she was dead serious.

I laughed, only a little nervous of the killing intent the crept from her words. "Yes ma'am."

She shot me a look of annoyance, but ignored my formalities and took up her familiar stance on the other side of the clearing. "You know what you have to do now."

I nodded. "Mm, just pretend that your sword is you clumsily falling over."

A pang of exasperation hit her. "That wasn't quite what I was going for…" Steadying myself, I waited. "Well, if it works…"

The skeleton dashed towards me, shifting to the left, and then the right, and then bounding high into the air. I held my ground, waiting for the opportune moment. Just like every other time, I saw the strike coming only a split second before it was scheduled to land. But this time, instead of the unforgiving stick meeting skin, it met wood.

I blinked staring up at the training sword that was held over my head. "I totally blocked that one!" I exclaimed loudly.

"Focus!" Amber yelled back at me as she spun around, her weapon rushing towards my head.

A sickening crack echoed as it slammed against the back of my skull. The ground rushed towards me. But thankfully, I was long gone before it had the chance to welcome me back.

Darkness.

* * *

My vision was blurry and my ears rung with unrecognisable static. Where was I? I heard voices, they sounded familiar… But they were hushed. I strained to make them out. "You didn't have to beat him up so much."

"I hardly hit him."

"Hardly hit him? There are cuts and bruises everywhere!"

The voice seemed to pout. "At least I made progress."

"I'm going to blow you to pieces one of these days."

"I'd like to see you try, creep."

Whatever I was laid on top of was incredibly soft… Almost so much that a small inkling of sorrow spread through my bones as I parted from it, attempting to sit up. My body didn't argue when a blurry figure rushed over to me and lightly pushed me back down.

By now I found it easier to distinguish between sounds, as the ringing had died down a little. "Don't move." This particular sound was almost feminine, but it contained a sense of authority that made it sound nearly a little bit tom boyish.

Who did I know with a voice like that?

White. Amber.

Which meant that the other was Isaac. As if on cue, my memories came crashing into my unsteady consciousness like a powerful torrent breaking through a once watertight damn. "Amber…" I groaned, feeling my vision sway for the worst.

The girl shifted closer so that she could hear me. "What is it, David?"

My ears began to ring again… I was going to return to the darkness any second now. But I had to say it. It was of the utmost importance. I stared up at her, she was only inches away. My sentence came out mumbled. "Y- You're a bit of an ass… You know?"

The last thing I heard was her relaxing giggle.

* * *

**Perspective Change: The Unnamed Servant**

* * *

I stared up at the intimidating form before me. She was attractive, without a doubt. Most men fell prey to her tamed looks and abundant proportions without a second glance… But I was one of the few that couldn't be fooled. Behind the fake smile and luscious honey blonde hair sat the essence of evil itself. A wicked and cruel mistress that wanted nothing more than to see all five of the world's burn.

I swallowed heavily before I spoke, praying to god that my words would flow smoothly. "The conditions for phase one have been met, milady."

She threw her legs over the side of the bulky metal thrown, trying to get comfortable. "Brilliant! What to do next I wonder…"

My head tilted, curiously. Before I could stop myself I made an inquiry. "Are we not starting phase two?"

The demon of a woman shifted again, this time throwing her legs into the air like a child. "Hmm… I feel like there's something missing… I know!" Her head lulled to the side, the eyes of hell staring straight into my soul. "Throw another hybrid in. That ought to liven things up."

I bowed my head. "Yes, milady."

Thankful that the interaction had ended without anyone coming to harm, I turned and hurried to the grand double doors at the end of the hall. "Oh and servant?" The devil called out to me from the other side of the giant room, her voice easily carried by some mystic force.

I turned back to face her, dread clawing at my heart. "Yes, milady?"

"Execute the blacksmith's wife and tell him that if he doesn't make something more comfortable than this useless thrown, his daughter will be next." The way the sentence rolled out of a cheerful smirk was disgusting.

I bowed deeply, attempting to hide my distaste. "I'll see to it myself."

* * *

**Author Note:**

How mysterious! So many unanswered questions! The main one being; "Is the blacksmiths daughter hot?"

... I feel like I crossed a line with that one. *Ahem* Moving on.

Thanks to all of you who have been reviewing. I mean guests, you are awesome. Yes, we still need OCs! But keep in mind that we already have a shit ton of main characters so I will probably kill a fair few of them off. But never the less, you submit them, I'll add them. :D

Keep being awesome, and get some sleep. Ciao.

\- Sylent


	11. Pop

**Author Note:**

WE. HAVE. FAN ART! If you didn't read that like you were Leonidas, go back and try again. No seriously, amazing art by a brilliant artist. I'm really impressed. Her name's Jess, and she's managed to create pretty accurate representations of both Key and Raven. However, it seems that doesn't want to let me post links, so if any of you have suggestions as to how I might remedy this problem, let me know. I want to show all of you.

Still, fan art is the best. Please, if you've drawn anything based on anything in Endergirl, send it in and when I figure it out, I'll be sure to show everyone!

Anyway, I think you'll like this chapter, mostly just because David finally ge- Oop, spoiler. I'll rant about this at the end. Enjoy. :)

* * *

**Pop.**

By the time I came around, it was morning. I probably wouldn't have woken at all if it hadn't been for the annoying ray of sun that found its way through a small gap in the roof and onto my eyelids. Blinking away the light, I rolled out of its way. My head throbbed, but surprisingly, the pain was only fleeting.

I ran my fingers across the back of my skull, searching for a bruise or a cut. There was nothing. Sitting up, I looked around. The room was empty, only the whistle of an interrupted breeze kept me company. My muscles still ached and complained, but eventually I got my feet underneath me and pushed the door open to stand outside.

What I saw before me was hardly surprising. Amber held her curved short sword to Isaac's throat. Meanwhile, Isaac's mace was suspended above her head. I sighed. "What's happened now?"

They both tilted their heads to face me, seeming to forget about their stalemate. "Oh, he's alive." Isaac stated. I rolled my eyes before he continued. "She tried to stab me while I was sleeping."

My gaze snapped to the skeleton. "Did you?"

She shifted a little, her eyes flickering away from mine. "No…"

"You're lying." I accused.

"His snoring was pissing me off!"

The creeper, suddenly offended, attempted to defend himself. "I don't snore!"

Shaking my head, I leant against the wall, letting the subject pass. It was a short time before anyone spoke again. I remembered my wounds, which had miraculously healed overnight. "How was I able to recover so quickly?"

Isaac smirked. "Well, Miss Bones here felt a little bad about hurting you, so-"

"Shut the fuck up." The blade pressed closer to his neck, drawing a dot of blood.

Laughing, the creeper stepped back, lowering his mace. "Alright, alright… I won't tell him." Her sword took absence from his skin, but she held her ground, staring daggers into the boy. Isaac took another step back, putting a reasonable distance between them. A mischievous grin spread across his face. "I won't tell him how you spent the whole night by his side, trying to heal him."

Her cheeks took on the faintest tinge of red as she ran after the now fleeing reporter, cursing at him. I couldn't help but laugh. I was grateful, she had forgotten her pride for a moment in order to help me. Evidently, hybrids could lend their healing abilities… "How do you go about healing someone?" I asked as they neared after running around the house a few times.

The rosy colour that brushed her skin doubled in potency, her obvious embarrassment was far past her normal neutral expression. I didn't think she was capable of such a reaction. Isaac laughed, completely losing it. "If I told you that, she'd really kill me."

The girl shifted uncomfortably, clearly despising her lack of control over the situation. "We're even now…" She mumbled, staring at the ground.

I nodded. "Mm. We've saved each other."

I saw Isaac plotting out of the corner of my eye. "Except… David would have recovered on his own, eventually. Aaaaand, you're the one that injured him in the first place."

Amber tensed, as if she was trapped. The conversation was quickly becoming stressful for her, so I spoke up. "It doesn't matter. Amber, you don't owe me anything. As far as I'm concerned, we're even."

Our eyes met, only for a split second… But it was as if a whole conversation had passed between us.

"I'll stay until you can get home. But after that, I'm leaving." She replied, a renewed goal refreshing her composure.

The creeper, who had been watching the exchange, groaned. "All I accomplished was keeping her around longer…" He rubbed his neck in irritation and began moving towards the edge of the cliff face. "Whatever, let's get some food and start training again."

* * *

Sprinting towards the once daunting obstacle, I sprung off of the ground, straightening my posture into a dive. It was a terrifying few moments as I watched the rough bark of the oak rush past underneath me. As my momentum slowed, I began to descend. My fingers brushed the surface of dirt on the other side and I curled into a ball, rolling over my shoulder. The technique took effect, allowing me to lose speed and cushion my fall. I stood up smoothly, unhurt and unscathed.

"I'm the best teacher ever." Isaac boasted from the other side of the clearing.

The truth was that Amber had been the real teacher. The only problem I had, was thinking too much. Strategizing, considering every movement. I still struggled occasionally, breaking a habit wasn't easy after all. Still, the more I trusted my body over my brain, the easier it was to pull off Isaac's commands. And Amber had been the one to remedy the broken pattern.

Much to Isaac's disdain, she sat high above us, on the same branch she had the day before, completely ignoring him while she whittled down her new bow. So far, I had learnt a series of vaults and how to cushion myself from a fall. What would seem like a nullifying amount of information was surprisingly easy to remember. My limbs seemed to recall the movements precisely when they were called for without much difficulty at all.

"What's next?" I asked expectantly.

My teacher looked at the fallen oak thoughtfully. "Uhh… There's not much else to learn…"

Dropping from her perch, Amber turned and began walking towards the wall of trees that surrounded us. "Follow me."

Glancing at each other first, Isaac and I quickly caught up to the girl who didn't seem to care if we followed or not.

* * *

I swallowed. "What _exactly _are we doing here?"

The cave opening that stood before us echoed hisses and groans from unseen horrors. A darkness, darker than night, covered every surface. Amber bent her bow against her thigh, propping it on the ground. Her technique was elegantly refined, and it seemed to cost her no effort to string the weapon. Stepping back, she tested the draw, tweaked it a little, but seemed satisfied.

She looked up at me. "Training and iron."

"Iron?"

"For your sword."

She made a valid point, without a sword there wasn't much I could do… Which was probably why I was so opposed to entering the caverns with only a stone pickaxe in my hands. "You can't be serious." Both Isaac and the girl ignored me, tightening their belts and readying their equipment. I sighed, giving up. "So what's the plan?"

Amber looked up, somewhat confused. Both of the mobs glanced at each other and then back to me. "You go first."

"That's your plan?!" Apparently strategy was a completely unused term here.

The skeleton notched an arrow and nodded towards the cave. "Let's go, player."

It took me a moment to realise that she was far more terrifying than anything the darkness could throw at me. So reluctantly, I stepped forwards, into the void. The two mobs, fearless as ever, trailed behind me.

We walked for a time, deeper and deeper into the seemingly endless mineshaft. Beady eyes watched us from every angle, seeing, but not attacking. It accomplished nothing aside from putting me more on edge. I gripped the handle of my tool tighter. The torch that we had lit, once I realised that I was the only one who had trouble seeing in such darkness, flickered slightly. Amber took notice and examined our surroundings.

It took me a moment to understand why. A flame dancing in a cave indicates a breeze, a wind so subtle that only a torch can detect it. Which means, we must be near another cave system… Her gaze fell upon a tiny opening on the left of us, barely big enough for a human to crawl through.

The skeleton moved towards it, looking back at us, her pure white hair reflecting the yellow light. "This way."

Without another thought, she pushed herself into the crevice and began to crawl through it. By this time, we were both accustomed to her prompt instructions and I imitated her, Isaac behind me.

I had to focus on my hands to keep the flame from dwindling in the tight space, which was slowly becoming increasingly constricting. We had been in the tunnel for what seemed an age, and our leader gave no hints as to when we might exit. Finally, I looked up to see how much further we had to go.

But what I saw before me didn't exactly answer my question. Amber, who had so confidently proceeded first into the crevice, had not considered the view that the one behind her would have access to. Her denim short shorts may have allowed for easier movement… But they also revealed a lot…

Like any teenage boy would, I couldn't help but stare for a few seconds. I tore my eyes away from the scene with great difficulty, blood rushing to my face almost as soon as I realised what I was doing.

"We're almost there." She announced soon after.

Isaac groaned in complaint, his voice echoing. "I'd fucking hope so."

Suddenly the girl in front of me stopped, it was all I could do to prevent myself from running into her. A moment passed before she moved again, shifting this way and that. She fell motionless once more. An ear shattering silence descended upon us. "Amber?"

She uttered something under her breath.

"What?" I asked, unable to distinguish her words.

"I'm stuck."

It was my turn to be silent… "As in…"

"A- As in, you're going to have to… Push, me."

Isaac snickered behind me. "I think that's an invitation to grab hold man."

"I'm going to fucking kill you when we get out of here, creep!" Amber shouted back.

He laughed from his momentary place of safety. It soon fell quiet once more. Finally, I asked. "So do you just want me to…" My sentence trailed off.

Her posture stiffened a little. "Just hurry up."

Seeing no other option, I awkwardly placed my hands somewhere that under normal circumstances, would probably result in her slicing me into pieces. She twitched at the contact, making me want to run for my life all the more. Hesitantly, I pushed forwards. Her figure budged a little, but my hands slipped and the progress was reverted.

"I think you might want to try holding on properly." Isaac suggested, peering through the gap between my shoulder and the roof.

"You're really enjoying this aren't you?" I shot back.

My question was met with a cocky smile. "Oh you have no idea."

Returning my focus to the task at hand, I repositioned my hands and held on a little tighter, beginning to push again. "I'm killing both of you idiots when we get out."

Putting more effort into the action, she shifted forwards once more. "You're the one that got yourself stuck."

"There's more of me to _get _stuck!"

The corner of my mouth curved upwards. Suddenly, without warning, the mob jolted forwards, and I followed her. The ground seemed to disappear for a moment, nothing but air holding us up. And thus we began to fall. It was a short drop, perhaps only a meter. And yet we weren't the only thing falling, rubble from the shaft we had just departed littered the area above and around us. Amber hit the ground first, wincing at the unexpected pain. I fell next, landing almost on top of her. Thankfully, I managed to prop myself up on my hands and knees before we could collide.

The shrapnel of stone hit last. The skeleton curled into a ball underneath me… But I couldn't do the same. Large fragments of rock and earth bombarded my back in quick succession. I groaned at the weight but did not falter. Eventually, the small avalanche exhausted its ammunition. All that remained was a thick cloud of dust that coated the air.

I could barely think as the particles began to clear. The throbbing pain that coiled through my nerves was overpowering. I clenched my eyes shut, straining myself not to fall.

"David…"

I dared not look, or the rubble might descend upon her as well. I could hear someone dropping to the floor behind us. The instant relief that overcame me when the crushing weights were dislodged from my back was overwhelming. I dropped exhausted onto the girl below me. Her soft touch crossed the back of my head as she pulled me a little closer, letting me rest on her shoulder.

Her presence was calming, almost as if the pain abandoned its siege against my nerves and fled back to wherever it had come from. I wanted more than anything to lay there a little longer, but my now clear mind alerted me to the sound of incoming enemies. There was no chance in hell they missed the downfall of noise. We had to move.

Reluctantly, I pushed onto my arms, hovering a little above the girl. She met my gaze, that small flicker of light sparkling in her eyes. A small conversation of thanks passed between us, no need for words.

"See, now I just feel like a third wheel." Isaac complained, brandishing his mace.

I stepped onto my feet and offered a hand to Amber. Taking it, she let me pull her up. "I hate you." Was the only appreciation I received.

Surprisingly, the torch had managed to just barely cling to life. It sputtered on the ground next to my discarded pickaxe. The light that it cast revealed a rather large cave. Two shafts split off in either direction, both echoed footsteps of unknown beasts. Hurrying to pick the tools up, I contemplated which path to take. Generally, in Minecraft, if you wanted ores you had to go deeper… I checked to see if the others were ready, they both nodded.

We worked our way down through the labyrinth, sometimes having to hide from patrolling zombies and other horrors. Although somehow, we managed to elude their detection. But I couldn't shake the eerie feeling that we were being watched… Regardless, we wandered through the seemingly endless network of twisting crevices and unexpected descents. But our goal, iron, was nowhere to be seen.

"We should have found something by now." Amber stated, gazing at the walls for even a hint of the orange substance.

She was right. There was something off here. The intersection we had come across parted off into five different tunnels, each as ominous as the last. "Let's split up." Isaac suggested.

My mind instantly replayed every horror movie I had ever seen. "That's a terrible idea." They both looked at me, curious. Trying to explain, I continued. "We're slowly gonna be killed off one by one, like in Nightmare on Elms Street." Their vacant looks reminded me that they had probably never seen the classic.

The creeper turned confidently and departed down one of the shafts. "I'll go this way."

Amber gave me a departing smile as she chose the next tunnel across, soon disappearing from sight.

The speed at which the situation had spiralled out of my control was almost nullifying. Whatever, yeah, sure. Don't listen to the human, what the hell does the human know? I sighed and examined the three remaining options. All of them appeared identical… Or so I thought, until I noticed the tiniest flicker of light up ahead.

My decision instantly becoming all the easier, I proceeded forwards. While I walked I contemplated what we had discovered already. The list was practically empty. The whole time we were down here, nothing had revealed itself to us aside from the occasional mob. No minerals, not even coal. It was almost as if someone had alr-

A voice up ahead.

It did not belong to anyone I knew. My footsteps became a lot more cautious and I quickly dropped the torch on the ground, stamping it out quietly. As soon as I did, the glow of a similar light around the next bend became more prominent. I crept forward, my grip tightening around my pickaxe. I came to a stop just before the corner, trying to listen in to what was being said.

"Just kill it already!" A man's voice shouted.

"It's bad luck to kill a hybrid…" Another muttered.

My mind twitched at the mention of another creature. What type of hybrid?

"You've got to be fucking kidding. That _thing, _killed Jayce! Don't you get that?!"

"I know! Why don't you do it then?"

There was a sudden silence as the unknown man considered his options. "Fine then. I will."

I heard the ringing sound of a blade being pulled from a scabbard. I had to act now, I couldn't just let them kill a hybrid. But what if it was an evil hybrid? Isaac's explanation of how they were made replayed in my head… I had to try, regardless.

I peered around the corner. My questions were instantly answered. Two men, clad in leather armour, stood above a girl. Short cropped black hair, a familiar black hoodie… The figure raised her head a little, just enough to look me straight in the face. Her irises, were a pure red. And yet they contained life… A human type of life.

The blade of a sword was raised high above the girls head. Without considering the consciences, I bolted forwards, crossing the few meters that separated the headsman and I in an instant. I was barely conscious of the way my limbs moved to ram the head of my pickaxe into the back of his skull. The weakened body fell to the floor, the sword clattering uselessly beside him. His companion jumped backwards in surprise, quickly drawing his weapon.

He must have been in his early twenties. A small goatee grew from underneath his chin, making him seem all the more intimidating. We faced off, waiting for the other to make a move. I noticed the subtle shift in his stance as he prepared to attack. Pouncing towards him, I slammed the tool into his stomach as his sword had just begun its ascent. He crumpled, but did not fall. Without a second thought, I backhanded him, my knuckles slamming into his temple.

This time, he was out cold.

I panted, trying to catch my breath. Humans? Were these the villagers Isaac had mentioned? I could feel a judging gaze pressing into the back of my head. Turning from the unconscious spelunker, I faced the hybrid once more. This time, being closer, her features became more visible. She was young, perhaps a year or two younger than me. A long black scarf covered her chin, wrapping around her neck before gathering around her waist. A length of rope was pulled tight between her lips, displaying two sharp fangs. Her hands were bound behind her back.

I approached her slowly, so as not to startle the surprisingly calm looking girl. Once I reached her, I carefully removed her restraints. With incomprehensible speed she leapt upwards, where she stood on the ceiling, staring down at me with judgmental eyes. When I say stood on the ceiling… I mean she was literally hanging from the surface, arms crossed and all.

"You're a spider."

I was met with silence. I waited for her to make the next move. At least five minutes passed before she did. "Why are you here?" Her voice was quite, almost hushed.

"I just stumbled across you guys…"

She repeated her question. "_Why, _are you here?"

Grasping what her real query was, I answered truthfully. "I need a sword." The answer seemed to satisfy her, as she did not repeat it a third time. "Why are you here?" I countered.

Confused, she gazed at me. "My home."

"Huh… Maybe you can help me then?" I asked, hopefully.

The spiders head tilted to the side, curiously. "You need a sword?"

I nodded. "Or the materials to forge one." She looked across the room to where her enemy's weapon lay. Following her gaze, I shook my head. "If I take theirs, they'll be defenceless when they come to."

Thoughtfully, she replied. "You need a good sword."

I was a little unsure of how she had made the connection, but I didn't question it. "Yeah."

The mob dropped to the floor, landing lightly on her feet. "Follow."

She was amazingly trusting of a stranger. Maybe that was why she had been captured in the first place… A question rose to the top of my mind, it needed to be answered before I could trust her. "Hey, did you really kill that guy?" I searched through my memory for his name. "Jayce?"

She nodded, calm and unwavering. "He tried to kiss me."

Pausing, I considered her answer. It seemed all I had to do to avoid his fate was not be a flirtatious prick. "Lead the way."

* * *

**Perspective Change: Amber**

* * *

I treaded softly on the gravel underfoot, wary of every movement. The old wooden beams that supported the abandoned mineshaft, creaked hazardously above me. I was so close now… Just a few more meters. The scratched and battered chest that sat at the end of the accursed tunnel taunted my efforts.

Just a few more steps… The platform beneath me shuddered. And before I knew it, I began falling. I pushed off of the perilous flooring, jumping upwards, arms outstretched. My fingertips just barely grasped the edge of the remaining level, but my other hand slipped and flailed by my side. I couldn't help but glance down at the terrifying plummet beneath me. Nothing was visible through the darkness, not so much as a spec of light.

Gritting my teeth, I grabbed onto the ledge firmly. With a great deal of effort, I somehow managed to pull myself up, rolling onto my back once I had accomplished the feat. My breath was rapid, as was my heartbeat. I needed to relax…

A few minutes later, I sat up, turning my attention the chest that had almost cost me my life. Hoping for the best, I flipped open the lid. A ring of dust escaped the confinement. Peering in, a small flash of light danced on the objects inside. Stale bread, some string…

And iron.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Isaac**

* * *

I trailed their every movement from the cliff face above. It was hard, with them teleporting every couple of minutes, but I had managed so far. The underground ravine that I had come across was teeming with all kinds of life. Zombies, skeletons, creepers… Endermen. If I could just lead a few of them out, then I could cut short this whole expedition and finally get to Earth.

Earth… The one place rumoured to have millions of hot girls. With a renewed courage, I doubled my efforts, speeding up. I would become the king of hot women everywhe-

My foot slipped and I began to fall. I barely had time to recognise what was happening before I hit the solid ground below me with a dull thud. A sudden jolt of pain ricocheted through my nerves. I groaned, blinking away the spots in my eyes. Lazily sitting up, I vaguely took notice of the dozens of varying mobs that stared at me from every direction. Rubbing my neck, I gazed upwards in silent contemplation.

Well fuck.

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

It was eerily quiet. At first we had to sneak around the odd group of mobs, but as we had descended further and further towards this world core, they started to become less frequent. However, in their place stood rows upon rows of spider webs. The girl I was unwittingly following seemed to admire every passing one.

"Do you like them?" She asked, uttering one of her very few sentences.

Taking a moment to appreciate the closest work, I started to understand why she liked them so much. They were indeed incredibly well crafted, perfect in almost every way. It was almost as if the silver threads belonged in a modern art gallery rather than a gloomy cave. I considered replying with a lengthy analogy… But I didn't need to. "I do."

The ghost of a smile passed across the girls face as we weaved through another set of web. However, my attention soon refocused on the walls surrounding us. Over the past few minutes, I had seen traces of stone that differed from the norm. Instead of the smooth solid surface, these sections were rough and mossy, almost seemingly manmade. But what kind of person would build something this far down?

By now the walls were no longer fragmented, instead the entirety was constructed out of this foreign material. It was, unsettling… Without warning, the roof above us grew taller and the hallway extended into a square room. In one corner lay an unmade bed, the plain covers ruffled from use. Littered within the rest of the space was a furnace and three large tables, upon which rested numerous trinkets.

The girl proceeded to move some coal from the furthest table into the furnace. It soon caught and lit the space with a warm glow. I gazed around the lonely room. "You live here?"

She nodded absently while crouching next to the bed and rummaging through the items that had been stored haphazardly underneath it. I couldn't stop myself from examining the miscellaneous objects that covered every flat surface. A wolfs fang, some wire, a lantern, tea leaves, a broken pocket watch… Everything was in various stages of disrepair and yet they all held some hidden value to the spider. I returned my gaze to her as I heard something heavy slide across the cobblestone floor. A length of dusty white cloth was wrapped around the piece, concealing it from view. Struggling a little with its weight, the mob stood and presented it to me.

"A human gave it to me." She pipped, gaining my attention once more.

"A human?"

The girl sat on the edge of the mattress. "Mm, he was almost dead… He told me it was a good sword."

It seemed as though that was the entirety of information she was willing to share. I returned my curious gaze to the object in my hands. Slowly, I began to unwrap it. The cloth gathered at my feet as it unravelled. A dense leather scabbard sat in my hands, the long and plain hilt of the weapon extending from one end. Hesitantly, I drew the sword from its confinement.

A reassuring ring echoed from the blade as it tasted the air in god knows how long. The hilt was plain and simple, wrapped in the same leather of which the scabbard was fashioned from. However the blade, the blade extended almost exactly to the point of my practice sword… Razor sharp on each edge. The gunmetal coloured iron reflected the furnace light in various patterns around the room. It was heavy, much heavier than I had expected… But I could wield it easily enough.

Despite its simplicity… It was a beautiful weapon. Slipping my new found friend back into its casing, I examined it once more. The housing itself attached to two straps, metal buckles on each. It took me a moment to figure it out, but eventually I slid them over my shoulders and across my chest, tightening them into place. I fit well… Almost a little _too _well. I reached backwards with my right hand and pulled hilt from its position on my back. It worked perfectly. Replacing it, I turned to the girl again. "Thank you."

She smiled a little, before beckoning me back the way we came.

* * *

It was a painfully long time, awaiting the arrival of my other two companions. I feared that they might have fallen victim to these perilous caves, but before long my suspicion was cleared. Amber appeared, walking from the tunnel I had watched her depart into not so long ago. However, she seemed a little shaken, as if a fit of adrenaline was just beginning to wear off. Making her way towards us, she was seemed taken aback at the sight of another figure aside from myself.

"Who's she?" The skeleton asked, placing her hand on the hilt of her short sword.

"A spider hybrid. Her name is…" I turned to face her, suddenly aware that we had never introduced ourselves.

"Zoe." She announced.

I looked back to Amber, checking to see if she was satisfied. Her edgy expression made the opposite obvious enough. Just as she was about to begin another sentence, an exhausted looking Isaac dashed across the cavern, soon disappearing from sight. The three of us watched him go, and then turned to see where he had come from. A horde of silhouettes scurried towards us at incredible speed.

"Run." Amber muttered. We remained rooted in place, staring down the approaching wall of horrors. "Run!"

This time her instruction jolted us into action. And we took off after the recently departed boy without a second thought. "Zoe, how do we get out of here?!" I shouted over the noise of hisses and groans.

She took the lead, her speed allowing her to cover great deals of ground in half the time it would have taken us. "Follow."

We soon caught up to Isaac, who struggled to hold himself together after expending so much energy. We didn't bother to ask for an explanation, there was no time. Amber spoke from behind me. "David, I got the iron!"

"We don't need it anymore!" I shouted back as the spider hurried us through yet another tunnel.

"Do you know how much effort I went through to get this?!" She asked, holding two large iron ingots in front of my face.

I grabbed the refined minerals and hurled them to the floor. "They're slowing you down!"

"I'm going to kill you if we survive!"

Grinning, I rounded the next corner. Moonlight pierced the darkness, lighting our path out of the deadly mine. We scaled our way to the surface as quickly as our limbs would allow. And finally, we had grass underneath or feet and fresh air in our lungs. But we could not stop for so much as a second to appreciate the serenity. A minefield of mobs lay before us, alerted to our presence almost as soon as we had emerged.

"David, here." Isaac threw a spherical item towards me, I caught it and held it up to the light. The varying shades of dark aqua were synonymous with the night sky.

An ender pearl…

He cradled an identical one in his arms. I shook my head. "We need two more."

"What? Why?" He asked confused.

"Look around, we're surrounded. There's only one way out and we need to move now." I started off at a sprint towards the first terrifying drop I had laid eyes upon since coming to the wretched world. "Follow me!"

We weaved and ducked around the mobs. Arrows impaled the ground at our heels and a constant growl of aggression came from every side. We were getting closer, but I wasn't planning on leaving anyone behind. And Enderman rushed us from the right. I drew my sword, the metal throwing a dull ray of moonlight across the tall grass.

This was it, the moment of truth.

I spun under its outstretched arm, pulling through hard with my weapon. I felt the impact slice something within the creature. An ear-splitting scream tore across the grasslands. A sudden pop proceeding it. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw amber notch an arrow onto her bow. She drew and fired straight ahead of us. But there was nothing there…

The shaft protruded from the injured Enderman's chest. It was as if he had simply appeared with the ailment in him already. How good _was _the she with that bow? A final wail sent him to the ground. Isaac dug into its disintegrating ribcage as we passed, retrieving yet another pearl.

"One to go!" He shouted, slamming his mace into a zombie.

Amber drew again, firing at a tall figure in the distance, followed by a second shot that was directed only few meters away. The first arrow was dodged easily. But the second slammed into the targets head as it resurfaced from its teleportation. How could she predict their movements? Her accuracy was stunning. I rammed my sword into the Enderman's chest, quickly digging out the prised possession.

A glitter in the dark, mostly covered by dust, but still just barely visible. We skidded to a stop above the broken down machine which thankfully lay right where I had left it. The eye slots still glowed with the same purple electricity. On the other side sat my room. It seemed so unfamiliar now…

"Amber, you first." I handed her a pearl. She glanced at me before dropping it through the miniature portal. A prominent pop echoed through the air as she disappeared. She fell safely upon the carpet on the other side.

Isaac handed Zoe the next ticket to Earth. She glanced around the mountains quickly before mimicking Amber's movements. The mobs were getting closer. Isaac looked at me expectantly. "Go!" I shouted.

He dropped the ender pearl through, leaving me alone in this empty world. Not wanting to remain like that a second longer, I reached toward the exit, the shining orb in my palm.

Something grabbed onto my leg, tearing my away from the only hope of escape. I flipped over to see the horrifying decomposed face of a zombie staring down at me. There was no time to draw my sword. Praying to every god that I knew of, I outstretched my arm, letting my one way ticket sail from my hand.

It flew through the air, as if in slow motion… Beginning its decent, it hit the rim of the portal, teetering dangerously on the side. Threatening to fall either way…

Pop.

* * *

**Author Note:**

WHAT HAS HAPPENED? DID HE GET OUT? IS THE WHOLE GROUP FINALLY GOING TO UNITE? AND FURTHERMORE, WHO IS THIS MYSTERIOUS ZOE?

I'll trade you answers for fan art. :D

Hahaha, alright, it's 1:44 AM on a Monday, so I'm out. See you guys in chapter twelve. Oh and don't worry, I've actually got it planned out already so it shouldn't take me a whole week to post it.

Goodnight all.

\- Sylent


	12. You're tone deaf

**Author Note:**

Alright, to be fair, I said it wouldn't take me a _whole _week. I didn't specify whether it would take more or less time. Hehehe. No seriously, my bad. I knew what I wanted to write, I usually do. I just, couldn't find the motivation... I've probably started writing over a hundred different stories, all insanely different from the last. Some of them are a single page long, others, over fifty. But in my _whooooole _life, I've only ever finished two. (But the first one doesn't count because I was twelve. And to be honest, the second one was an English task.)

So yeah, lack of motivation killed SylentDoom.

Oh actually, that reminds me. I created a Deviant Art account! That's right, search up SylentDoom and you'll be able to see all of the fan art we have! Whoop! Some of it I've had to put a mature content label on, so you'll have to log in. But I think there's at least one that should be available to everyone.

Anyway, a bit of a filler chapter, not gonna lie. But I tried my best.

Enjoy.

* * *

**"You're tone deaf."**

I flew from my monitor, crashing downwards and landing awkwardly atop of Isaac, who was atop of Zoe, who in turn was atop of Amber. The trio complained loudly as I collided. Rolling onto the floor, I stared up at the roof. How long had I been gone? Three, four days?

Finally, I was home…

Jolting upright, I ran out of the room and into the hallway. "Key!"

The house was just how I had left it, eerily so. Quickly descending the stairs I made my way into the living room, which help no occupants. After that, the kitchen, which revealed the same. Where were they? That same chilling thought echoed at the back of my mind, but I couldn't consider it for even a second. They had to be alive…

"David?"

Amber distracted me from my crazed state as I looked up to see her. She seemed sceptical as she examined the house from the top of the stairs. I sighed, now was not the time to worry. If they're not here now, eventually they will turn up on their own. But the trio that I had brought into this world must be at least a little uneasy about the major contrast in scenery.

Putting aside my search for the moment, I walked up the stairs and faced her as she continued her inspection. "Welcome to Earth." Her wandering gaze met mine as she considered the words. "This is where I live, usually."

"Oh… It's big."

I smiled. Compared to the shed we had been living in, it was gigantic. "Let me show you around." Zoe's head popped around the corner of my doorframe, Isaac followed. They were still on edge, you couldn't blame them really… "Don't worry, its safe h-"

A grim pop resonated around the room.

Sadly, I instantly recognised that it wasn't the Endergirl. The expressions of the three that stood before me instantly turned to those of fright. A piercing whistle announced the downfall of a blade. Without thinking, I threw myself towards the wall. The giant metal scythe hit the ground, splinters flying in every direction as the floorboards that lay beneath shattered. I spun to face the enemy. The instant I saw him, I felt both relieved and terrified. They may look identical, but this hybrid was the same one that had pushed me into that god forsaken world. I wasn't sure how I knew… But there was not a single speck of doubt.

Amber recovered from the initial shock first, hardly a second passing before her curved blade extended from her arm. Pushing forwards, she swung while the beasts defence was down.

Pop. It appeared at the end of the hall, and rushed towards us with astonishing speed. Regaining my strength, I stood in front of Amber, starring down the oncoming force as I reached over my shoulder. A sharp ring echoed through my ears as the long gunmetal blade slid from its sheath. Time seemed to slow… I dropped, my right foot back, along with my sword. My left side faced the incoming assailant, my hand splayed to block any blunt attacks.

It was odd… I had never taken this stance before, and I was sure it was full of openings. But it felt… Natural. I smirked as I realised what I was doing. Just how I had stood between Key and the last hybrid, I did now with Amber. The only difference was…

I didn't plan on dying.

"Cover me."

The mob behind me sheathed her short sword without a second thought, drawing her bow and notching an arrow faster than I thought possible. Nothing less from a skeleton.

I sprung forwards, sprinting as fast as my legs would take me. The target neared. His intimidating weapon swept to the side, preparing to slice me in two. I bounded towards the wall, planting one foot and pushing upwards as his actions accelerated. I narrowly sailed over the grim reapers blade and instead pummelled a firm kick into his face.

Pop. He was gone… My mind spun into overdrive. Where, where was he? If I were going to teleport, where would I…

My thoughts quickly returned to Amber's skill in foreseeing the Endermen's movements. It was just a hunch, but maybe… I rotated as soon as I hit the floor and Jumped into the air again, pulling my sword high above my head, the tip facing the earth.

A split second of silence passed. Just as I had predicted, the demonic hybrid appeared underneath me. Even with its ungodly speed, there was no time for him to dodge. My sword pierced into his chest. As I fell, it plunged deeper, until I landed on top of him. The body slumped, the motionless eyes turning a colour even more lifeless than they were before.

It wasn't long before the defeated form began to tremble, slowly dwindling into a pile of ash. I hovered over the remains, breathing heavily from the sudden exertion. The whole scenario was over in a matter of seconds. But that fact was far from my mind. If the hybrid was still here, that meant it hadn't yet accomplished what it had set out to do… Which means…

* * *

**Perspective Change: Raven**

* * *

Kori did not think like anyone else.

His thoughts seemed jumbled and uncoordinated, often trailing from one to the next without any relevance whatsoever. I did not understand him in the least. And yet somehow, the cheerful Endergirl that walked next to him managed to maintain the disjointed conversation. Their minds seemed almost in sync with one another, coming to the same conclusions and discussing them with extensive knowledge. The topics ranged from advanced physics to what butterflies would look like if they were made from butter.

It was the most I had seen Key talk in the short period that I had known her, and she was insanely smart. Cute and quite most of the time… But Kori had somehow bypassed the barrier of silence, encouraging her through some unknown method to consider and comment on whatever they discussed. She still managed to retain her cuteness though, trailing off on her sentences when she got distracted, beaming when he concurred with her points and tugging on her hood whenever she became shy.

I envied her connection a bit. To have someone that completely understood you must be nice… I smirked. Then again, it would also be extremely annoying.

The narrow street that we walked down seemed prosperous despite its lack of any visible greenery. It wasn't a shortage of plant life, for large trees of numerous verities stood proudly on either side, it was simply a deficiency of leaves. Winter would soon descend upon the small city, the trees already knew that.

Perhaps that wasn't the only thing they knew…

I grabbed at the back of Keys baggy black hoodie. She gave a small yelp as she was stopped, mid step. The girl looked at her surroundings for the first time since we had begun our stroll and soon realised why I had brought her to a halt.

She turned to her new friend, not meeting his gaze, but staring instead at her feet. "Th- Thanks for the ice cream…"

He tilted his head to the side. "You can buy it next time."

The Endergirl looked up at him, an unbelievably adorable smile playing out on her face. "Mm!"

His cheeks flushed and he smiled back a little shyly before looking over his shoulder at me. I nodded a farewell and he soon departed, walking off down the street, obviously lost, but not seeming to care. We watched him fade into the distance.

I glanced at Key with a grin. "You guys really hit it off there huh?" Her only response was a light blush and an averted gaze. It would seem she had returned to her usual, shy self. I couldn't help but laugh. "Come on."

I nudged her towards the house in front of us. It was unnecessarily large considering that only one person resided within it most of the time, but I suppose it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Better than my apartment anyway… Ascending the small flight of steps and approaching the door, I stepped in front of my friend and twisted it open.

As my eyes adjusted to the subtle change of light, I instantly sensed the presence of more than one other person… Their forms lay haphazardly around the house, two at the top of the stairs, another strewn across the sofa and the last… On the roof?

Four pairs of eyes focused on us almost simultaneous, each set reacting differently. Key pulled a little closer to me, holding lightly onto my shoulders and struggling to hide her tall figure behind mine. The first pair of eyes were crimson red and stared at us with an open curiosity. The next were a shining silver, examining and assessing us for one false movement. A dark green, from the living room, challenging, as if seeking a fight. And lastly, a familiar ocean blue.

David practically ran down the stairs as soon as he laid eyes upon us. I could barely recognise what was going on before his arms were wrapped around us both. His arms… Something was different… I lightly pushed him away and examined the boy before us.

Completely focused on the task, I prodded him with my index finger. His shoulders, had broadened. His arms, more masculine. His usual pitch black hair had gone just a few shades lighter. But most impressively, his eyes no longer ticked like clockwork, estimating and calculating everything around him. Now they were more… Free.

"Explain." I ordered, neutral.

He smiled, for some reason he was almost overjoyed to see us. "I'll make some coffee."

* * *

"And then you walked in." He finished, as if everything he had just said was completely normal.

We sat around the dining room table, the glass pane supported six different mugs, two of them remained close to full. Despite David's explanation, I was still a little sceptical of the three mobs who inspected every detail around them. Four hybrids? Surely it couldn't be a coincidence…

Still, something in David's story had been throwing me off the whole time he spent telling it. Three and a half days… "David." He looked up from his now depleted mug to me. "What's the date?"

I could see his eyes click into that old rhythm for the split second it took him to calculate the answer. "The twenty nin-"

I cut him off. "Twenty fifth."

He squinted a little at the fact. "Twenty fifth…" A moment passed as everyone in the room considered the numbers. "How long does a full Minecraft day last?"

"Twenty minutes." I replied, a little confused.

"So what felt like almost four days… Was just over an hour here."

It was so obvious once he had said it, but was that even possible? I glanced briefly at the hybrids that surrounded us. I suppose 'possibility' was a term that needed to be redefined…

* * *

**Perspective Change: The Unnamed Servant**

* * *

"So, who did you send?" The despicable demon asked from her newly crafted perch.

This thrown, appeared to be more curved, extravagant and apparently comfy than the last. It would seem that tyranny and negative reinforcement could achieve something after all.

I tried to avoid taking too long in my answer. "The spider."

She smirked, giggling a little. It made me sick. "The young one? Now that will be interesting… What do you think he'll do next?"

Considering what I knew of the boy, I spoke the truth. "He'll attempt to keep them close by, so that they'll be easier to protect. However…"

I accidently trailed off in my response, prompting a strained query from the blonde devil. "However?"

"I don't think he'll make any progress on his own."

"Well that's hardly any fun." The woman let go an exasperatingly bored sigh as she squirmed, throwing her legs up into the air and staring at her bare feet. "Give them a challenge… Just keep putting on pressure until they _have _to do something."

The deadly smirk that proceeded her order did nothing but disgust me further. Her sick little games. Forcing kids to run around like lambs to the slaughter…

"As you wish."

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

I hummed as I prepared the nights meal. It was an odd little tune, throwing this way and that without any real rhythm, but it was mildly entertaining none the less.

The pasta was boiling, the sauce was bubbling in its pan… I enjoyed cooking. When my mother had departed on the first few occasions, leaving me on my own, I simply averted to fast food and snacks. But as time wore on, I guess I just wanted something fresh. It started with meals that I had always wanted to try, mostly things that I saw in anime. But after that, it kind of just turned into creating whatever I felt like eating at the time.

"You're tone deaf."

I jumped as Amber suddenly appeared behind me. For a skeleton, she was surprisingly quiet. "Like you can do better." I replied, turning back to the stove. It was easy enough to imagine her perusing her lips at my retort behind me. A few seconds of silence passed, only the faint hiss of the ingredients audible.

"David?"

"Mmm?"

"Can you do me a favour?"

Turning to face her, my response was short. "Sure."

The skeleton became dead serious as she spoke. "Stop saving me."

I smiled back before returning to the task at hand. "Not in a million years."

"I hate you." She muttered, despite the smallest amount of colour seeping into her voice.

"I know."

* * *

**Author Note:**

Ehhh? Le plot thickens. Although, I want to spend the next few chapters developing the "love interest" as you guys have been calling it. Who will it be? Key? Amber? Raven? ... Zoe? Get your votes in now.

Oh and heads up, more reviews = more motivation = less time watching anime = less time taken to post a new chapter.

UNLESS SEASON THREE OF HIGH SCHOOL DXD IS RELEASED. IN WHICH CASE, THERE IS NO HOPE.

*Ahem* I mean, pffffft, I'm not an otaku.

Thank you again for your continued support, especially Vicchavez. I promise more interesting chapters in the future. Now, I'm off to clean the kitchen and make omurice. You guys, get some sleep. Night all.

\- Sylent


	13. Exactly, what I was thinking

**Author Note:**

ALRIGHT, NO SERIOUSLY. I TOTALLY NAILED MYSELF TODAY. Let me explain.

So, those of you who checked out my profile might have noticed a small mention of mountain biking in my hobbies, right? I think you can see where this is going. Anyway, I've recently moved into a new neighbourhood and I've been meaning to go exploi- I mean, make friends with the kids down the street so I can use their home made BMX ramps. Now, the ones that I've seen them using were only a quarter meter tall, so when I said something along the lines of: "Oh, yeah, I've got some experience with ramps."

I expected them to wheel out these small ass contraptions. BUT NO. INSTEAD THESE GUYS WHEEL OUT A THREE QUARTER METER KICKER RAMP (That's the curved one.) AND THEY'RE LIKE: "We've got two of these, so lets start with a one meter gap between them."

So I'm saying to myself, yeah, sure, one meter is fine, as long as I don't do anything much further than that I should be good. So I set up and bam, one meter gap, one meter height, perfect. So next thing I know these kids, who are younger than me, say: "Oh cool, lets go one and a half."

I think about it and I'm going, okay, yep, one point five, I can do that. Sure enough, I set up, a bit more speed this time and bam, with a little higher than a meters height, perfect.

"You reckon you can do two meters?"

It was at this point where I'm thinking, shit shit shit shit shit, no, what the fuck? So just as you'd expect from me, I got a bit of a bigger run up and went for it. Hit the ramp, had a little too much speed, but just pulled it off, getting about 1.5 meters height.

It was by this point that we had an audience.

Some guy from a few houses down had a tape measure to check the height, a few more little kids were filming on their phones... LET ME JUST SAY. THERE WAS THIS ONE KID, HE MUST HAVE BEEN AROUND SEVEN. WHEN THAT GAP GOT PUSHED OUT TO 2.5 METERS, HE WAS SHAKING HIS HEAD AT ME, MUTTERING: "Don't do it man, I got a bad feeling about this one..."

AND SINCE I WAS BEING SUCH A SHOW OFF, NATURALLY I RESPONDED WITH: "I'll be fiiiiiine, watch me."

So I got a shit ton of distance, turned Sail up to full volume on my phone, checked my tyres and gears, and started my run. I would be the only one attempting this length.

The _instant _I hit that first ramp, I knew I was fucked. I had waaaaaaaaay too much speed. I SHIT YOU NOT, FROM POINT 'A' TO POINT 'B' I FLEW 3.5 METERS, COMING UP TO HEIGHTS OF 2.25.

UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THAT DISTANCE I _COMPLETELY_ MISSED THE LANDING RAMP. I NOSE DIVED THE SHIT OUT OF MY BIKE AND IT HIT THE GROUND HARD, BENDING THE FUCK OUT OF MY FRONT TIRE AND HANDLEBARS. HOWEVER. TO MAKE UP FOR MY STUPIDITY AT ATTEMPTING THE STUNT IN THE FIRST PLACE, SOMEHOW I MANAGED TO SEPARATE MYSELF FROM THE BURNING WRECKAGE IN MID AIR. IF I HADN'T I WOULD PROBABLY BE IN HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW. I LANDED ON MY FEET AND FUCKING ROLLED OVER MY SHOULDER, LANDING ON MY BACK.

So yeah, now I've got a big ass graze on my hip, another one on my shoulder and a few scratches on my legs. Lesson learnt: Always listen to the little kid that tells you you're being a fuck wit.

Enjoy the story.

* * *

**_Exactly,_ what I was thinking.**

The meal was gone in seconds.

Not just the firsts, but seconds and even the few remaining scraps that might have been thirds. Every single string of pasta and every touch of sauce, vanished before my very eyes. There had been no time for conversation as the only person that hadn't been possessed with downing the food was Key. She hid behind her hoodie as four hungry teenagers stared down her meal.

"What did you fill her up with?" I asked absently, trying to avoid taking my eyes from her plate. If I did, I was sure Amber, Isaac or even Zoe might snatch it away.

Raven, the only one of us that seemed truly satisfied with her fill, smirked. "Eleven donuts, a coffee and a whole bucket of ice cream."

My mouth watered at the mention of the sweets. "Ice cream?"

The redhead laughed, her smile resonating around the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Isaac become a little distracted, his intense gaze flashing upwards for a moment, softening, and then dropping back down in a renewed focus. "Oh yeah, her and _ice cream _really enjoyed each other."

Without any notice whatsoever, something flew across the table, landing with a small splat against Ravens cheek. The axe wielder snapped still… A silence far greater than anything I had ever experienced before shrouded the room, all eyes focused on the victim. She raised a finger towards the projectile, wiping it off and holding it up to inspect.

Spaghetti sauce…

And the only one who could spare such rare ammunition was… Slowly, we all followed Raven's accusing stare to the girl at the far end of the table. She was leant over her plate, eyes just visible underneath the brim of her hood, hand extended over the meal, finger raised as if she had just flicked something…

Several things happened at once.

The irritable redhead jolted out of her seat, spanning the length of the table in mere moments. Key squealed and fell from her chair, soon popping out of existence. The remaining four of us glanced at each other before diving towards the unfinished plate. Somehow I managed to hoist the holy prize above my head in victory. Without warning, I felt it leave my grasp, ascending upwards.

The three of us glared at the spider on the ceiling. She held the plate in her hands with what we had come to recognise as her usual blank expression. We waited for her verdict. Maybe, she would be kind enough to spare us a portion. The corner of her thin lips curved upwards into a malicious grin. Mercy was obviously the last thing on her mind. But as she moved to consume the stolen trophy, she found that she had made one minor error. She looked down at us hesitantly.

I laughed. "Forgot something, did you?"

The mob pouted. "Can yo-"

"No." Both Amber and I answered simultaneously.

A moment passed as her gaze shifted to the creeper boy. He smirked back at her. "I'll trade you a fork for a meatball."

"Traitor." I exclaimed as he removed the specified utensil from the table and threw it up to her.

Amber remained suspiciously quiet.

The spider caught the object a little awkwardly, almost fumbling it back to the ground, but managing to keep her grip. Isaac waited expectantly, staring up at her. With a great deal of hesitance, a single meatball was extracted from the mix. She held it out on her newly acquired fork as it slowly began to slip from the prongs.

The creeper lined up and opened his mouth, ready to catch it. All three of us waited in silent expectation as the small chunk of mince slowly descended down the silver railway. Time seemed to slow as it paused on the edge, wobbled, and then dropped. It tumbled through the air. Isaac had lined himself up perfectly, at this rate it was going to land straight on his tongue.

A flash of white.

Amber leapt from her feat, flinging her arms behind her head and rotating her legs upwards. With an unmatched accuracy she sailed over Isaac's head in a gravity defying flip, landing gracefully on the other side, hands on her hips and a single meatball clutched between her teeth.

Horror, loss, sorrow, pain, failure… All of these feelings rebounded through Isaacs face as he watched her bite through the meal, swallowing it without so much as an inkling of hesitation. He was truly, defeated.

"One day skeleton, one day I'm going t-"

With a high pitched pop, Key appeared behind me, clutching at the back of my shirt and peering over my shoulder. A raging Raven appeared at the top of the stairs, staring down at the Endergirl with a vicious grin. Whatever she had in plan for the mob, was not pleasant.

"Isaac I'm charging you with the task of restraining that girl!" I ordered as Raven took the stairs down, two or three at a time.

He looked from me to the charging force, somewhat bewildered. "What, me?"

"Yes!"

She reached the last step and crossed the distance between us within a split second, Key hugged closer to me. I had seen some awful things in Minecraft, but nothing compared to the pure evil intent that was a mere step away. But just as I thought my life had come to an end, the girl paused, mid step.

Two arms wrapped around her stomach, holding her firmly in place. Isaac stood behind her, risking life and limb to prevent murder. "Oh, you're shorter than you look."

It was true. The top of Ravens eyes only came up to his shoulders, making her seem almost like a child in comparison. Still, to say it out loud… He must have a death wish.

"What, did you say?" The restrained one asked, tensing.

Realising his mistake he let go an extremely awkward and nervous laugh. "Uhh…" We waited expectantly for him to think up an excuse. "Uhhhhhhh…" Raven's tolerance of him was starting to wear thin. Finally he smiled. "Nope, I've got nothing."

Slamming her heel into his leg, Raven grabbed onto his forearm and manoeuvring his weight into the air, flipping him over her shoulder with a catastrophic precision. It was an impressive feat, considering the contrast in size between the two. However, in her anger she seemed to forget that the boy still clung to her waist. With a startled yelp, she soon followed him airborne.

Isaac slammed into the wooden floorboards, groaning at the sudden contact. His pain did not stop there however, as Raven soon fell hard on top of him. He gasped, the air obviously knocked out of him. Raven squirmed as she dealt with her own pain, which must have been monumental to make her react to it.

"Get off," Isaac sputtered. "You're heavy."

"Shut up, asshole." She groaned, rolling off of him and onto the floor.

They remained there for a time, catching their breath while the rest of us just watched on, lost for words. Key shifted a little, it was only now that I noticed how close we were… She held tightly onto the back of my shirt, her forehead pressed into my neck. I could feel the light breeze of her gentle breathing against my skin… I didn't want to move an inch. I didn't want time to resume its casual tick tock rhythm. Her presence was calming…

And yet…

I wasn't.

What kind of feeling was this? My brain told me that I liked being this close to her, but something… Something _else,_ told me otherwise… Almost as if she were perfection itself but still n-

"David." Amber's familiar voice snapped me out of my trance.

Key separated herself from me hurriedly, as if just realizing our proximity. I blinked, letting my eyes refocus on the beautiful girl who had called down to me from the top of the stairs. She smiled a little, for reasons unbeknown to me.

"What's up?"

She looked upwards a little, avoiding my eye contact. "I don't really recognise many of the objects around here… But is there something like a lake or… I must sound like an idiot."

I smiled. She was embarrassed by her lack of knowledge. It brought back memories of her lessons in that clearing that seemed so far away now. "I'll show you how to use the shower."

Striding up the stairs, I looked over my shoulder briefly to find that Raven and Isaac hadn't moved at all, they seemed fine, but they were talking about something under their breath. Zoe still clung to the roof, finishing off the last remains of pasta. And Key, was nowhere to be seen.

I couldn't help but feel a little satisfied with the haphazard group that occupied the house. They were rowdy and there was no doubt that they would all clash at some point. But at least the deafening silence of living alone had taken its leave, for now.

* * *

I heard the skeleton hiss at the hot water that obviously lashed her skin on the other side of the door. "Turn the other handle." I spoke through the barrier.

"Leave me alone, this is difficult."

Her shy side had resurfaced when she realised how much there was to learn about this world. It wasn't so much about her lack of control, in fact she seemed quite comfortable with letting events take her where they would. No, it would seem that her discomfort came from having to ask for help. She seemed reluctant to rely on others for some reason. Maybe she just didn't want to cause trouble for us, although considering her personality, that seemed unlikely.

She really was a mystery…

The gentle cascade of water slowed before stopping altogether. A minute passed as her quite footsteps mixed with the sound of cloth on skin. I shouldn't be listening in, she was getting changed. Still…

The door opened slowly and I stuffed the thought back into the far corner of my mind. She tilted her head at me. "What were you thinking about?"

I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. I thought frantically for a way to change the topic. Fortunately, I didn't have to search for long. Her long white hair was a sopping and tangled mess. I laughed and prodded her shoulder, forcing her to turn around. Following her into the bathroom, I grabbed a fresh towel and dropped it over her head. She swayed on her feet at the sudden loss of vision. I pressed a hand to her back, steadying her.

"I told you not to touch me." She mumbled from underneath the thick fabric.

"Can't hear you."

The girl complained under her breath as I started drying the long cloud coloured strands. We were quite as I worked the knots from her hair. It wasn't awkward… We just didn't see a need in talking. Soon, I flicked the now combed and well maintained mane back over her shoulders. Her shirt however, was soaked.

"Did you even use the towel at all?" I asked, perplexed.

"Explain things better next time." She retorted.

The corner of my mouth turned upwards in a slight smirk. The skeleton might not have possessed Key's cute and quiet personality, but she had her own type of adorable character. Sure it was harsh and a little frightening, but her unease gave just a small revelation into the real Amber, the one that lay behind her strong and independent façade.

I doubted she would ever show me that side of her… Then again, I couldn't help but try and find that forbidden creature through her moonlit silver eyes.

"Stop, staring at me… Like that." The usually ferocious voice contained only a hint of its former self, now transforming into a soft and hesitant phrase.

She spoke the words, but neither of us moved. We were fixated on each other, unblinking, unwavering. Maybe it was possible, to communicate without speaking, without moving. It was as if we spoke of everything and of nothing, simultaneously. I started to become lost inside her eyes, shutting out everything else around me. When we were like this, all I wanted to do was step clo-

"If you guys plan to kiss, do so elsewhere."

Raven had seemingly materialized before the sink, squeezing some toothpaste onto a brush. Her interruption snapped my senses back into formation. Amber was close, closer than she had been. Close enough for me to notice the shivers that ran rampant across her skin and the breath that gently left her lips. I must have taken a step forward without realising…

Both of us retreated backwards, undoubtedly blushing like a pair of idiots. Raven grinned in the mirror, not even bothering to hide the satisfaction she obtained from spoiling the moment. I couldn't tell if I was pissed off or glad that we had been interrupted. If things had gone any further…

"I'll- I'll get you a shirt!" I fumbled through the line, turning and exiting the room with haste.

"Th- Thanks." The mob replied behind me.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Isaac**

* * *

I lay writhing on the floor next to the surprisingly strong redhead that David called Raven. I had underestimated her. She knew how to hold her own in a fight, there was no doubt about that anymore. David could've at least _warned _me. I had landed hard on my shoulder, rolling onto my back soon afterwards. Both areas throbbed with an unexpected amount of pain. "That was a pretty good throw, for a girl." I wheezed, still trying to catch my breath.

She winced as she replied. "Not a bad hold, for someone that's not supposed to have arms."

Touché.

Another minute passed, the pain subsiding but the sudden loss of adrenaline still rendering us motionless. "Isaac."

"Raven." The girl replied, staring up at the spider on the roof, who happily slurped down another string of pasta.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?"

A time passed with no reaction. I was starting to wonder whether she had heard my query at all, but eventually, she began talking. "I was taken in by a tribe… They used to be hunters, warriors." She laughed a little, almost in spite. "Now they sell jewellery." The ferocious gaze in her eyes softened a little, almost as if she were recalling some distant memory. "But they never forgot…"

Her words did not confuse me, I understood enough of what she meant. Once a warrior, always a warrior. It's not something that can be pushed aside effortlessly, it was ingrained. Without warning she sat up, pausing long enough to shake her head. It wasn't long before she had pushed onto her feet and vanished up the staircase.

I sighed. Maybe this whole 'king of hot women everywhere' idea, wasn't going to be as easy as I had thought…

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

Zoe had elected to share a bed with Key. Isaac had made the same decision, but promptly changed his mind when Raven shot daggers at him with a protective glare. As such, he claimed the sofa as his own. I sighed, after I made the obvious move, I would end up on the floor.

The last door closed, separating the girls from the creeper who was slumped downstairs in defeat. Amber and I were the only ones who remained in the hallway. "You can take my bed, I'll sleep downstairs." I offered, avoiding eye contact.

"Yeah." She glanced down at the wooden floorboards.

An awkward few seconds passed, neither of us working up the courage to say anything. Well, we couldn't just stand there all night. "Come on."

I lead her into my room, flicking on the lights in the process. She stood in the door frame as I rearranged the pillows and lay out the thick blanket that sat tangled atop of the mattress. I glanced up to find her staring at the carpet beneath our feet. She seemed comfortable enough in the simple black T-shirt that I had loaned to her, despite it being a few sizes too large.

"You should just sleep in here." She stated blatantly. I paused, staring at her. Her eyes widened as she hurried to explain herself. "On the floor, obviously. I just thought that the carpet might be softer. I don't care though, suit yourself."

I smiled back at her. "Thanks."

She pushed passed me and fell onto cushioned surface. Her eyelids lulled shut, relaxing. "It's soft…"

Pulling the extra blanket out from under my bed, I rolled it out onto the floor. My gaze fell upon one of the two pillows that she lounged upon. I reached over to her and softly pulled one out from underneath her head. "I'm stealing this."

"Mmp." Was the only reply I received.

Turning my back to her, I set the pillow onto my 'bed' and yawned briefly before moving to lay down. Amber, however, beat me to it. "What's that?"

I paused, propping myself up on my arms and looking over my shoulder to her. Eyes now vaguely alert, she stared across the room to my desk. I followed her gaze. Underneath a pile of miscellaneous papers was buried a relic. Pushing myself up, I uncovered it from its tomb and placed it down on the floor, between both beds. "It's a chess set."

The skeleton studied the pieces as I arranged them, interested. "Chess…" The word seemed foreign to her as the pronunciation was a little off.

"Chess."

"Chess." She repeated, more accurately this time.

I nodded. "It's a game. It's kind of complex though…"

That familiar sparkle brightened in her eyes at the mention of a challenge. "Teach me."

Taken off guard, I looked for a place to begin. It seemed only fitting that she played white, and thus I sorted her pieces into their respective positions. Once I had finished, I pointed to the two kings first. "The goal, is to take the enemy king while protecting your own." Checking to see if she was following, I continued. "Each type of piece has a different way of moving. Pawns can only move forwards and attack diagonally, rooks can move anywhere but only in a straight line, knights move in 'L' shapes and can jump over pieces, and bishops can move anywhere as long as they move diagonally." I explained, pointing to each piece as I came across them.

I expected her to be slightly perplexed at the least, it was an overload of information after all. Instead, she simply nodded and asked a simple question. "What about the king and the one next to it."

"The king can move any direction but only one space. And the queen can move in any direction, as far as she wants." I answered, impressed.

"Anything else I should know?"

"You can't allow your king to be exposed to an enemy unit, and… Uhh, oh, pawns can move two spaces when moving from their starting positions but only once per turn after that."

She nodded. "Who moves first?"

There was no way she could have memorized the rules that quickly, chess was a game that took years to master, a lifetime even. "White does."

Considering her options, she soon moved the pawn in front of her king forwards. It was the base move of most strategies. By doing so, it opened up her queen and bishop in one move. To have figured out such a relevant operation so early into her first game…

I couldn't go easy on her.

I moved next, making the most logical counter attack. She followed with a deadly precision, as if having already guessed what I was planning to do. I stared down at the board, focusing my attention and making my move. She countered.

We played a series of back and forth motions, all the while I couldn't shake the feeling that she was always one step ahead of me… It was impossible! I had been playing this game my whole life, how was I being beaten by someone who had just learnt how to pronounce the name? I furrowed my brow and moved once more.

A perfectly defendable counter attack proceeded it.

What was this? It was almost as if she… I stopped, dropping still. Slowly, I raised my head, looking up to find those greyish silver eyes staring straight into mine.

It was almost as if… She knew _exactly _what I was thinking.

What followed, was not chess. It was a mental war. We saw each other's movements the instant we thought of them. She attacked, I counter attacked. A move for a move, a piece for a piece, each time reaching the same conclusion. Hundreds of possible moves passed between us, stopping only occasionally while the other considered their options.

Nobody could win.

* * *

"Jesus Christ, what happened to you two?" Raven shouted, causing a painful ringing in my ears.

I poured another hot cup of coffee and pushed it in front of Amber who sat exhausted at the dining room table, struggling to keep her eyes open.

"Thirty seven games…" She groaned, screwing up her face as she tested the black substance. It would seem she wasn't a fan. Then again, I suppose she couldn't be blamed for disliking cheap supermarket decaf.

I continued for her. "Thirty seven games of chess, and neither of us could win a single damn one of them."

The bewildered looking Raven blinked, waited a second, and promptly ignored us, proceeding to pour some cereal into a bowl. I sighed and squinted through my hazy vision. There were things I had to do today as well…

The last ounce of brain power I possessed sprouted an idea. "Raven," She glanced up at me from her task. "How good is your forgery?"

* * *

**Author Note:**

THE ONLY THING YOU GUYS VOTED ON WAS WHETHER OR NOT IT SHOULD TURN INTO A HAREM. Which I suppose it still could... Anyway, I've started developing hints of romance between various characters. Keep in mind, romance really isn't my forte, so let me know how you think its playing out, I'm open to suggestions... Suggestions _aside _from a harem.

... Or maybe you can convince me.

I must thank:  
The Mob Reader (Check out his stories because he's a brilliant writer and gives great advice.)  
TheTypewriterv (I'm happy this chapter is out too! Now I can relax for a few _minutes!_)  
WiseguyJaco (Who actually made an account just to follow the story, you legend.)  
Dragonfox45 (Thanks for the compliment man.)  
Chase1998 (I hope this chapter is long enough for you, thanks for the advice.)  
KingArthur3 (I really hope someone got his reference because I feel terrible for not getting it, even though I probably spent more time thinking about it than I did writing this chapter.)  
AlienPenguine and Jdood2000 (HIGHSCHOOL DXD IS SO CLOSE NOW! *Fangirl*)

You guys, I tip my hat to you.

\- Sylent


	14. The very same

**Author Note:**

Woah, sorry about that, kind of got distracted.

First of all, yes. I started writing another story. Don't worry, don't worry, Endergirl is still my main focus and I'm not about to stop writing. But, I wanted to take everything I've learnt so far from Endergirl, and incorporate it into a new scenario. I've titled it _A Fool's Conviction_ and I'm halfway through the second chapter now. I've only got twenty two views at the moment, so I'm hoping if you guys are interested in my writing, you'll bump that number up! :D

But, most importantly, I hit some MAJOR writers block, and I wouldn't have been able to escape it without a certain persons help. VoidWalker45, is a legend. After reading his Minecraft fan fic, _Return of the First_, I found the will to continue. It may seem a little choppy at the start, but he's got a brilliant storyline and I encourage you all to at least finish up to chapter four, which is actually chapter five, it'll make sense once you've read it.

Anyway, I'll see you at the bottom. Oh, and Raven is starting out by the way.

Enjoy.

* * *

**"The very same."**

For the numerous time that morning, I rubbed at my eyes with the only fingers that weren't coated in ink. This would hopefully be the last occasion. Shaking out my hand to try and regain some feeling in it, I gripped the fountain pen once more. I focused and took a deep breath, patience was not usually one of my virtues so I had to get this right.

Slowly, I began to lower the pen to the page…

"What are you doing?" Isaac asked from directly behind me. I jumped in fright and instinctively slammed my elbow back into his ribs. He winced and stumbled backwards. "What the hell was that for!?"

I whipped around to face him, letting my anger seep into my eyes. "You scared the fuck out of me! Make more noise when you walk around!"

"I'm a fucking Creeper! What'd you expect?"

I hissed at him and turned around, briefly noting how ironic the action was. "You're a pain."

He ignored my comment and brushed past me before taking a seat on the table, peering down at my work. "Student enrolment form?" His examination continued a moment longer. "Hey, that's my name. What are you doing?"

"Would you shut up?"

He sulked, but obeyed for the moment. Thankfully, my panic attack hadn't caused too much of a mess, the form was still usable. Taking one last look at the signature David had provided me with, I carefully copied it down onto the small dotted line. I lifted the pen and examined my work.

Perfect.

It better be, considering I had practiced the mark over a thousand times. I lifted the form, along with all the others, and presented them to the creeper. "You're going to high school."

He seemed sceptical. "Will there be hot girls there?"

I smirked at him, he really was that straightforward. "Pervert."

"Breakfast." Zoe chimed as she descended the stairs, Key in tow.

"It's almost noon." I reminded her, turning my gaze to the Endergirl. "Why did you sleep so long?"

She pouted. "Zoe fell asleep on top of me."

I laughed. "Well David's not up yet, so see what you can find in the fridge." Key gave me a questioning look, so I went on to explain. "He and Amber were up all night." I watched her expression drop, she stared at the floor awkwardly. Realising how dirty the sentence must have sounded, I continued. "They were playing chess."

She brightened a little again, her cheeks flushing. "O- Oh…"

"Jealous?" I question, a little interested in the girls thoughts.

"O- Of c- course not! What is there to be j- jealous of?" The shade of her cheeks resembled closely to that of a ripe tomato.

So she liked David…

Isaac flicked my forehead, snapping me back to reality. I must have zoned out for a few seconds. He gazed at me with bright green eyes. "Thinking doesn't suit you."

"Asshole." I mumbled.

"There's nooothing to eeeat." I heard Zoe complain from the kitchen.

"That's it, I can't deal with this anymore."

I jolted to my feat, letting the chair drop to the ground behind me with a loud clatter. Leaving the mobs downstairs, I ascended the steps towards David's bedroom, flinging the door open as soon as I arrived. Unsurprisingly, they were so far into slumber that the disturbance warranted no reaction from either of them.

David lay strewn across the carpet, the blanket only half covering him. Amber was curled up on the bed, her long legs earning a small tinge of envy in my eyes. One extended across the mattress and the other lay bent comfortably up against it. And there was not a mark on them, her skin was smooth and refined. Apart of course, from the long scar that ran through her eye. If it weren't for that one imperfection, she would have been flawless.

The two figures seemed so at ease.

I had noticed David falling asleep in class and he always appeared on edge, even when his eyes were closed. Why was he sleeping so calmly when she was here? I decided right then that I did _not_ like this girl. I wasn't sure why. She was taller than me, which was probably it. Key flashed into my mind. But she didn't count. She was cute enough to be forgiven for being an absolute fucking giant.

I grew frustrated and kicked David in the leg. He jolted out of whatever pleasant dream he was having, blinking a few times before he focused on me. "What's up?"

For some reason, I started to feel a little bad for waking him so violently, but I didn't let it show. "Zoe's hungry."

He nodded, rubbing the back of his head as he tried to wake himself up. He looked over at the skeleton. Smiling for some reason before he stood up. He pressed a finger to his lips and gestured outside.

"When did you become such a gentleman?" I asked once he had softly closed the door behind us.

He smirked. "I recall doing quite a lot for you actually."

I felt the faintest amount of blood rush to my cheeks as I looked back on all the times he had woken me up, made excuses for me, and held open doors so that I might pass. Not to mention all the advice he had given me online…

He brushed passed me and descended into the living room. "Who wants pancakes?" I heard him ask.

But I didn't move. I was still stuck on what he had said… Why didn't I ever notice the things he did for me? But I did a lot for him too… Right?

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

Key watched my every move as flipped the dough over in the pan. My first attempt at showing off had resulted in a half cook pancake lying dead on the floor, so this time I used the spatula.

"We'll have to go buy uniforms today." I said, striking up a conversation.

The Endergirl seemed perplexed. "Uniforms?"

"Mm, since you're all going to school." By now the only one unaware of the situation was Amber, who still lay upstairs.

"What do they look like?"

I strained a little to answer her question. For me it had been almost a week since I attended. "The girls wear short skirts and white button ups with a mini tie… And the guys wear a blazer, tie, and jeans."

"S- Short skirts?" She stumbled, blushing a little.

"Short skirts?" Isaac asked, poking his head through the door.

I laughed. "Yeah, the principal is a bit of a perverted old man."

"How many people, go to school?" The girl asked.

"About a thousand or so. It's a pretty big."

"A thousand…" She seemed a little disheartened.

"Don't worry, they're going to love you." The Endergirl gazed up at me, causing me to look back to the stove hurriedly. "Especially with eyes like those."

* * *

The stack of pancakes was excessively high, undoubtedly reaching a number over forty. The smell of maple syrup and butter filled the room, making my mouth water. The four other hungry teenagers stared down the heap, waiting to see who would make the first move.

"There's not a limited supply this time, you can have as many as you want…" I stated absently, still transfixed on the meal.

"I know…" Said Isaac. "But it looks so good at the moment."

The others nodded in agreement.

They were right. The thin golden slices let off the faintest amount of steam as they sat perfectly atop one another, maple syrup and melted butter cascading down their sides, dripping to the bottom where it gathered in a swirling pool.

"Itadakimasu." Key chimed, digging her fork into the top slice and sliding it onto her plate.

We watched in disbelief as she nibbled at the edge. Her face lit up instantly, eyes squinting slightly with satisfaction.

From then on it was a full-fledged war. If you so much as looked away for a second, several levels would be missing by the time you returned. It was amazing how quickly you could eat when in danger of losing seconds. It was a free for all, with Raven and Zoe commonly dominating the rest of us. Key, being as considerate as ever, kept missing her chances. In the end I was serving her as well as myself.

Finally, we came down to the remaining three. Isaac moved forward to take another but I flicked his fork away with my knife. "Leave some for Amber."

Raven moved in instantly, almost succeeding in her theft. I swirled my blade around the cutlery, flinging it across the room and disarming her in the process. Piling the remainder onto my plate before another attempt could be made, I stepped back from the table and started upstairs.

She was still asleep, a few strands of silver hair falling across her face. Quiet, not shy or aggressive. Just her, as she was. I couldn't help but smile a little as I looked at her. For someone so vicious, she occasionally had her cute side.

Unable to stop myself, I softly brushed the hair away from her face. She stirred, opening an eye briefly to look at me before closing it once more. "I thought I told you not to touch me."

"I brought you pancakes."

She flinched, opening her eyes to gaze at the offering. "Apology accepted."

I held the platter out to her as she sat up. She stretched before taking the dish, a time in which I tried to refrain from watching her. She took the first bite, savouring the taste before looking up to me. "It's good."

"Thanks." She took another bite. "We've enrolled everyone at the school Raven and I attend."

She nodded. "To keep everyone together."

It was easy talking to her. I think she understood how I thought a little better now. "We've got to buy uniforms."

She looked up from her half-finished meal. "Uniforms?"

"Yeah, so hurry up." I moved over to the cupboard and grabbed another shirt, throwing it at her.

She leaned to the side, letting the projectile sail pass. It landed in a heap on the bed. She held the plate out to me, now wiped clean of any sustenance. "More."

"Wake up earlier."

She rolled her eyes. "Wake me up earlier."

I clapped my hands at her. "Come on! Hurry up, we've got things to do."

"I'm waiting for you to leave!" She retorted.

"Why?"

She blushed a little. "So I can get changed, idiot."

"Oh, yeah… Sorry." I made for the door, trying to hide my face as I exited.

* * *

The walk was quite short. At least it was, when compared to the distance we had covered in Minecraft. We did have a bit of trouble with Isaac almost getting run over, but he had sufficiently learnt his lesson by the time we arrived.

The uniform outlet was sandwiched between two large industrial sheds. The colourful building was so out of place that I was surprised the city council had approved of its existence. Still, for all of the bright colours that littered the walls, it did nothing to change the drab personality of the grumpy old lady manning the front desk. She sat, bored out of her mind, and apparently our appearance did nothing to brighten her mood.

"What'd you want?" She grouched as the six of us filed into the cramped space.

"Uniforms, for these four." I gestured to the mobs.

She hopped down from her chair and hobbled over to inspect the selection. "Sizes?"

"We don't actually know…"

The dwarf of a woman glared at me before turning and searching the shelves. She returned with several sets of garments, handing one to each waiting person and motioning to the changing rooms. Hesitantly, the four departed, pulling the curtains closed behind them.

It was a few minutes before the first of them was revealed. Zoe stepped out, the skirt and V-neck made her seem more approachable than usual and perhaps a little more innocent. Surprisingly, it was a perfect fit.

Key was next, peeking out from behind the curtain before stepping out into the light. It was the first time I had seen her without her hoodie. I could finally appreciate the entirety of her magenta purple hair, which flowed down to her waist. She tugged at the bottom of her skirt. "D- Do you have anything, longer?" She asked, trying to maintain her modesty.

"It fits." The woman barked.

Key shrunk back, frightened. She was right though, it was a brilliant fit, showing off the Endergirl's curves perfectly. Although I'm not sure that was usually the goal of school uniforms…

The far curtain swung open to depict a breathtaking Amber. She stood confidently, despite being noticeably uncomfortable to inspection. The short black skirt only showed off her flawless legs more, the white button up shirt capturing her curves with amazing accuracy. It would seem she had all but given up on the tie however, as it hung uselessly around the collar.

She glanced at me, a single thought on her mind. _"I hate this."_

I smirked back at her. _"It's pretty much what you usually wear."_

We all waited for the final revelation. But after another minute passed, he was nowhere to be seen. "Isaac?" I asked, a little concerned.

"Y- Yeah… Are you sure this is right?" He answered, his voice signifying that his self-confidence was significantly lower than usual.

"Just come out."

The last curtain was slowly pushed to the side…

Before us, stood a masculine and handsome version of the boy we once knew. The long black trousers, void of any chains or dynamite, made him seem almost professional. The dark blue blazer defined his shoulders and chest, presenting the illusion that he was almost approachable. And the neatly folded tie gave off the feel of a well brought up young man.

We stared at him, unable to say a thing. He shifted a little, his cheeks flushing slightly. "Well?"

Raven took a step towards him, looking up into his eyes. "You're Isaac, right? The pervert, right?"

Realising that he must look good, he ceased the opportunity. Self-confidence returned, he placed a hand on Ravens waist, dipping her down towards the floor but holding true, starring into her eyes charmingly. "The very same."

It was the first time I had seen Raven visibly blush. I expected an outburst or a firm slap connecting to the side of Isaac's face. But instead, she began to laugh. She laughed with wonder. Something so out of character for the girl I had known over the past few years… Isaac seemed entranced by the spectacle, not being able to take his eyes off of her. Admittedly, she was beautiful when she smiled, there was no denying that…

Her small vacation began to die down as she realised we were staring. She glanced up at the newly reformed Creeper, clearing her voice. "Okay, put me back."

Snapping out of his momentary fixation, he righted the girl, placing her back on her feet. This, was when the harsh force of Raven's hand connected with his face. A bright red mark began to shine on his skin. "_Don't,_ do that again."

"You can be a real bitch sometimes, you know?"

"I'm a bitch? You're the one that had to go and be all charming!"

I couldn't help but laugh as their back and forth continued, slowly dwindling towards the point of an insult based argument. I turned to the old lady who was watching the exchange with mild interest. "We'll take them."

She glanced at me. "A hundred and twenty five."

Wincing, I pulled out my wallet and presented her with my card. It was worth the money, they all fit perfectly. For what she lacked in manners she made up for in experience.

I could feel Amber watching me. "What are you doing?" She asked, moving next to me.

"Paying."

I looked over at her, she was curious, wanting to ask but not wanting to annoy. Of course the mobs didn't know anything about money, there was no need for it where they were raised. "Currency, it's like a middle man between products. Its value usually stays the same, that way things can be bought and sold at an agreed price."

She tilted her head. "Then how do you get more of it?"

"Working, usually. You work for someone and they pay you accordingly. Although at the moment I'm kind of just freeloading off of my mom. But if I keep having to spend this much money on food and clothes for you guys, I might need to pick up a job somewhere…"

"You're spending your own savings on us?"

I smiled back at her. "Of course. After all, I'm the one that dragged you here in the first place."

The cashier, who had been listening in on the whole exchange, shook her head in disbelief. "Don't come back." She warned, before shuffling into the back room.

Watching her go, I turned back to the white haired girl. "As good as you look in that," I glanced down at her uniform once more. "You should probably get changed."

She seemed to just realise that she was still in the outfit she hated so much, and quickly departed into the changing rooms once more, shooting me a look of annoyance.

* * *

The rest of the day was spent trying to figure out how the fax machine worked, complaining how hard it was to use the fax machine, and ranting about the fact that nobody used fax machines these days anyway. All of which, were carried out by Raven.

The situation further escalated when once she had achieved her goal, which was sending off the student applications, her and Isaac took the poor machine outside to light on fire.

They stayed out there for a time, doing all of the idiotic things you'd expect them to do alone, just preforming them together instead. Messing around with gunpowder, throwing tomahawks back and forth. They seemed to be enjoying themselves so I didn't interrupt.

Instead I focused on the task at hand, which was teaching Key how to use the coffee machine. She was determined, trying again on her fifth attempt. The benchtop was covered with coffee bean powder and milk, even the occasional splatter of the clear black substance itself. It was a waste of ingredients, but she was smiling, which balanced it out.

Zoe and Amber sat in the media room, playing a game of chess, which Amber had become addicted to. Zoe struggled a bit at first, but she seemed to have the basic rules and strategies down now, giving the skeleton a run for her money.

In short, we were just enjoying ourselves.

If only it could stay that way.

* * *

**Author Note:**

Alright, so far we have two votes for Key, one vote for Amber and one vote for a harem, thank you Vicchavez. :P Voting shall remain open until David kisses someone, which could happen at any time, so get your votes in.

Now, a short response to reviews!

vicchavez007: I can't say I've seen Syndicate's Mianite, but I'll make a point of checking it out. And hey, there ain't nothing wrong with Captain Sparklez.  
Tetsuya Uzumaki: Thanks for the support! I appreciate it.  
Guest: I can see what you're saying, its not a bad idea actually.  
Chase1998: Chess is the best! Unintentional rhyming I swear. Don't worry, I'm not about to let you down, I'll keep posting.  
AlienPenguine: HELP ME, I CANT FIND HS DXD S3 ANYWHERE! D:  
KingArthur3: X-Ray goggles you say? I like the way you think...

Well, all things consirdtfjtrdjtUIWEFUINEINFMWKLEFMUIEJNKFMLRKMFWIJFNIUN209URU9JIMKOF

HOLY SHIT, ITS 1:10 AM AND MY DOG JUST JUMPED ONTO MY BED AND SCARED THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF ME.

I'M DONE. I'M GOING TO SLEEP. GOODNIGHT.

\- SYLENT


	15. Stupidity

**Author Note:**

Fun fact, none of you know what gender I am. But _of course _I'm a guy, because I usually write from a guys perspective and I have a lot of hobbies that are more male orientated. Not to mention, how common is a girl my height? So I _must_ be guy... _Right?_

Enjoy.

* * *

**"Stupidity."**

"Now let's review." Raven started. "How are you all related to David?"

"Cousins." Zoe replied with her usual monotone.

"And if anybody asks why you transferred in the middle of the term?"

Zoe spoke once more. "Family tragedy."

"And where did you come from?"

"The next state over."

Raven glared around the room, annoyed. "Did anybody aside from Zoe remember the responses?"

Isaac rubbed the back of his neck, looking out the window. Amber tugged at her fringe, avoiding eye contact. And Key just stared at Raven innocently. All four of them were lined up in the living room, fully dressed and waiting to leave. Raven's briefing was the only thing holding them back.

"Most importantly, what are you not allowed to do?" She looked to Isaac for an answer.

The creeper, who suddenly realised he was under exam conditions, thought for a minute before taking a guess. "Flirt with you?"

She starred daggers into him, returning his gaze outside. "No abilities. Which means no fire." She turned to Key. "No teleportation." Next was Zoe. "No climbing. And no…" The sentence trailed off when she reached Amber.

The skeleton looked up. "I can shoot things."

"No shooting things." Raven concluded, partially satisfied. She sighed before gesturing to the door. "Let's go."

The girls filed out, trudging through the cold winter air. Something Raven had said piqued my interest. "Fire?" I asked the creeper as I closed the door behind me, locking it.

He grinned and snapped his fingers. It was difficult in the light of day, but I could just barely observe the orange flicker of sparks dancing across his fingertips.

"I didn't know you could do that…" I was entranced by the spectacle.

"How do you think I light my explosives?"

Considering his statement, I confessed. "A lighter or something?"

He cast me a worried expression, as if fearing for my sanity. "Lame."

The path that we followed only allowed us to walk two by two. Raven and Amber lead the way, although it seemed as if the redhead was trying to get away from her for some reason. Whatever it was, she didn't succeed, Amber was too quick to be outrun. Zoe and Key paced side by side, the cold weather giving the Endergirl an excuse to wear her jumper, and the spider her scarf. The two seemed easy next to each other, Key's usual uptight composure being loosened a little in the girl's presence.

I smirked at the creeper that trailed next to me, still a little uncomfortable in his uniform. He shifted awkwardly in his blazer. "Maybe this is a bad idea…"

"Raven thinks you look good." I noted in response.

The corner of his mouth tilted upwards a bit. "Don't let her hear you say that."

For the way he and the axe wielder collided so viciously, an inkling of care was just barely visible underneath their explosive arguments. But caring about someone and enjoying their company were two very different things. Isaac had his own goals and Raven had hers. Their friendship was star-crossed, if nothing else.

At first, the walk to school was generally uneventful. But as we went along, our small group joined others that were headed in the same direction. It was the same reaction every time. They guys would stare in awe at Key, Amber and Zoe, unable to tear their eyes from them. And the girls would stare at them with jealousy, although partially distracted by Isaac. I suppose that over time I had grown accustomed to their flawless appearances… Still, I couldn't help but feel a little defensive as one particularly brave teen came to introduce himself.

He approached Amber first. "You must be new around here, I'm Tristen." He said, flashing a kind smile and extending a hand.

She was a little taken aback, and looked down at the offering as if it were poisoned. "Amber." She replied evenly, ignoring his gesture.

It took him a moment to recover. "A- Amber, that's a beautiful name."

"I'm aware."

I couldn't help but smirk at her response. Usually, in circumstances like these, the one who should feel uneasy is the one being hit on. But all Amber had accomplished was terrifying the poor boy, crushing his confidence into a million pieces.

Giving up on the skeleton, he turned to Key. "And you are?"

The Endergirl retreated behind Zoe, although it was hardly effective, due to the height difference. The spider hissed at him, sending him a few steps backwards before abandoning his attempts all together.

I laughed. "You guys are going to fit right in."

* * *

The main administration was an impressive construction. It was made mostly of brick and glass, creating the kind of feeling you'd expect to find in an old train station. Teachers and students hurried back and forth between corridors, filling out forms and carrying messages.

"New students?" The secretary, who wore clothing that may have been a little too provocative, asked from behind her large oaken desk.

"Four of them." I answered, presenting the subjects.

She stared for a moment, before snapping back to reality. "Names?"

I rattled off the list and she confirmed it against the student records.

"Alright, Zoe will be in class 1C, Key and Isaac in 2A…" She trailed off, looking over her computer for the details. "And Amber in 2D."

It made sense that Zoe would be in the grade below us, but I was a little surprised that Amber had been assigned to a different room. "Is it possible to move Amber to our class?"

The glamourized lady shook her head. "It's full. In fact I'm impressed that there was enough room for those two." She pointed at Key and Isaac.

I looked over to the white haired girl, worried. The corner of her mouth tilted upwards. "I'll be fine."

Nodding, I gestured to the door, while doubting the reality of her words. The mobs filed out, still a little awe struck at their surroundings. I suppose I had a similar reaction on my first day. For a public school, the place was beautifully crafted. Each building with its own traits and history. It was a huge school, one of the biggest in the region. And yet it was odd…

I didn't remember being able to see so many colours in the place… I guess a lot had changed.

Rumours were spreading like wildfire about the new students. It was obvious from the way people stared and whispered to each other. I caught a few words and phrases, but full sentences were hard to piece together.

Isaac was beside himself with the amount of girls we passed. He kept glancing this way and that, unable to stop himself from staring. Similarly, by the time we reached Zoe's classroom, we had a small trail of teenage females following us from the shadows. Obviously as interested in the Creeper as he was in them.

Our group came to a stop as a middle aged man stepped out before us. His expression was kind, although partially hidden behind a close shaven beard. "Hia, I'm Mr. Upshon. I've been told I have a new student?"

Raven placed a hand on top of Zoe's head. "This one."

The teacher looked down at the mob, smiling. "Zoe, was it? I'll be your teacher. It's nice to meet you."

The spider examined him for a moment, before turning to me. "I don't like him."

"What is there not to like!" I exclaimed, shocked, but not at all surprised.

Her teacher only laughed. "Honest to a fault I see. Well, there's nothing wrong with that. Let me show you around." Turning, he walked a few steps before he realised she wasn't following. He waited patiently, as if used to the treatment.

Zoe, sensing that she had little choice, looked at Key quickly. The Endergirl only smiled, but it seemed to push her forwards. We watched as she caught up to her new mentor, following him inside the building. As if on cue, the morning bell echoed around the school. Students rushed towards their destinations, not wanting to be late.

Raven sighed before leading the way. "Let's go."

We made our way across the grounds, our pace picking up a little but hardly making a difference to how long it took us to reach 2D, Amber's class. Taking the initiative, Amber slid the door open.

The teacher, who was halfway through an announcement, glared up at the newcomer. She was a stout lady, maybe a little too stout. The purple coat that she wore bulged around her mid-section, making her seem all the more stuck up. "It's not good etiquette to be late on your first day!" She barked at the girl.

Amber, who as always, refused to take shit from anyone, replied calmly. "It's not good _etiquette _to wear such a revolting jacket."

I winced at her response as the class fell into a silent horror. Making the most of the fact, Amber turned around to look at us. I sighed. "Try not to cause too much trouble, okay?"

She smiled at me. "I'll try."

And with that, she stepped into the agitated room, closing the door behind her.

Raven, still a little mesmerized at the skeletons attitude, paused for a minute before changing directions and pacing down the hall. Shrugging, Isaac and I followed her. Raven waited for us before the door to our class room. A mischievous grin across her face.

The door slammed open, causing the teacher inside to jump and fumble his pen. It was one of her favourite tricks. Isaac stared at her, impressed.

"R- Raven, still loud I see." Our teacher's recovery time was slowly improving, although I guessed that the stress marks beneath his eyes were mostly due to Raven's unexpected arrivals.

Ignoring him, she walked lazily to the back of the room, where she promptly laid across her desk. She glared at the girl across from her, and stretched out a leg to place it on her the edge of her table. Her eyes lulled shut, satisfied. The girl whose workspace was being used as a footrest was clearly flustered, but was far too scared to raise her voice.

"New students?" The middle aged man asked, already used to the redhead's impossible behaviour.

The class's attention returned to the front of the room, examining the new arrivals. I felt Key grasp the back of my shirt, hiding behind me. I looked back at her and smiled. "Come on, introduce yourself."

She looked up at me, pleading not to make her do it. I could only reassure her. Reluctantly, she stepped away from me, but not too far. The class stared in awe, and for a moment, so did I. It was odd how her adorableness just hit me in waves sometimes. She stared at the ground, her gaze only flickering upwards for a few split seconds.

"I- I'm… I'm Key." She mumbled.

Stunned silence was the only response she received. She brushed the hair out of her face, blushing. The class erupted with noise, causing her to jump in fright.

"She's so cute!" One of the girls yelped, almost rushing the poor girl.

The boys were similarly impressed, yelling in triumph and thanking the gods for bestowing such an adorable gift upon the classroom.

It was amazing how quickly the Endergirl was surrounded with people wanting to know all about her. She blushed and smiled, answering a few questions while trying to remember names. It took our authority lacking teacher an age to separate the girl from the excited crowd who now treated her like an idol.

Eventually, everyone settled down enough to allow him to speak. "Now Key, where would you like to sit?"

Key looked at the available desks that were quickly created between various social circles. Everyone awaited her decision like it was one of the Ten Commandments. Which group would claim her? The Endergirl soon singled out a spot.

"C- Can I sit in front of Raven?"

Silence.

Dead, silence.

"Are… Are you sure?" Our teacher asked, fearful for the girl. "There's plenty of othe-"

"I like Raven." She interrupted.

Everyone in the room stared at the Endergirl, and then slowly rotated their vision to the redhead, who was fast asleep across the two desks she occupied. The single thought that passed through their heads was written unanimously on their faces.

_How?_

The teacher sighed, resigning the girl to her fate. "Alright, if you really want too…"

Happily, Key shuffled to her seat, embarrassed by the shocked looks she was receiving from the room's each and every occupant. Once she had sat down, it was as if all hope was lost, everybody returned their gazes to the front, only to be confronted with another equally stunning individual.

Although, they didn't exactly react in the same way. The girl blushed and averted their eyes, only flickering back occasionally. The guys, watched the girls, and then stared down the Creeper. In those few seconds, he was labelled the primary enemy of almost every male student in the grade.

The _instant _Isaac saw their reactions, all doubts about his appearance flew out the window. His voice rung out, calm and charming. "I'm Isaac. I may not be as attractive as my sister," He said, gesturing smoothly to Key, who blushed. "But I hope we can get along." His smile radiated around the room.

This time, the girls were _transfixed _on his presence. He took the opportunity in both hands. His gaze narrowed a little towards something in the back row, everybody hurriedly turned to see what it was. Isaac took a step forwards, slowly descending down the rows of desks until he arrived at his destination.

The girl that sat before him had shining black hair, done up in a braid the fell down her back. Her glasses reflected the light of the overhead LEDs as she glanced up at the boy. Raven's legs were rested carelessly atop her desk.

"Is she bothering you?" He asked softly, directing his eyes to the axe wielder for a moment.

The girl quickly looked down into her lap, but nodded.

He smiled, turning to the said annoyance. Everybody held their breath as he leaned forward, looking at her for a moment before raising a hand to her face. I felt the teacher tense beside me, almost as if he wanted someone to hide behind. Without a single second of hesitation, the Creeper flicked her forehead lightly.

She shifted, before letting her eyes flicker open, blinking only once before freezing right where she was. Isaac was mere centimetres away, staring into her eyes, holding her in place.

At that moment, if a pin had dropped, it would have sounded like an explosion. Nobody moved, nobody breathed, and nobody dared blink, less they miss what were to happen next.

Isaac smirked. "You're beautiful."

A few seconds passed, the _slightest _tinge of red shading Raven's cheeks. Eventually, she curled up into a ball on her desk, hiding her face and separating herself from the boy. "Fuck off, Isaac." She mumbled.

He backed off, smiling at the girl… Almost a little lost in thought before he turned back to the class, mission accomplished.

The man who stood next to me broke the silence, a clear clap ringing out from his hands. Person after person joined in on the applause, adding their hands to worship his achievement. He had done it. He had _tamed_ the Raven.

Of course both Isaac and I knew what bullshit that was. He was going to receive a metric shit ton of abuse from her later on. I couldn't help but grin as I saw his face turn to dismay, obviously unsure if the applause and respect would balance out the punishment.

Maybe the mobs would adjust well here after all… Just maybe.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Felix**

* * *

There was a new girl in our class.

She wasn't necessarily loud, nor was she annoying. From my observations, she simply didn't like being pushed around.

Flowing white hair attracted every pair of eyes in the room to her. But after that, those eyes could only wander to two places. And that was either her perfectly curved figure and long legs, or the shining scar that crossed her face, only parting for her silver irises. Some muttered between themselves, formulating rumours of how the obvious scratch could have come to be. Others pretended as if they already knew, sharing wild tales about the mysterious girls past.

"Profile yourself." The teacher ordered after finishing a long, one sided debate about manners with the girl. It was obvious that she wasn't listening while the teacher had ranted on about proper conduct.

Rolling her eyes, the girl turned to face the class. "Name, Amber. Age, Seventeen. Transferred due to family tragedy. Cousin to David from class 2A. Relationship status, not interested. Hobbies, blatantly ignoring people who tell me how I should and shouldn't behave." She looked over the class. "Questions?"

"Yeah." Someone said from the back. I looked over my shoulder to instantly recognise Jacob, the grade's thug. He was a player, having dated almost every girl available, and even some that were already taken. I didn't like him. Never the less, he continued. "Why are you so god damn attractive?"

The girl before us widened her eyes and covered her face with her hands as if trying to hide a blush. I saw Jacob smirk, obviously taking enjoyment from her reaction. I turned back to the newcomer. Something wasn't right…

Her hands dropped to reveal a completely neutral face, which stared straight through Jacob's bullshit. "So that guys like you can recognise that I'm _way_ out of your league."

For once, somebody had _played _the _player._

The fooled boy fumed in the back row, but contained himself for now.

I went to speak up, to ask my own question, but someone beat me to it. A girl in the front row, blonde pony tails hanging out from each side. "How did you get that awful scar?"

The room practically winced at her remark, although all of us were curious.

Amber, seemed to zone out for a few seconds, her eyes becoming unfocused… Suddenly, they sharpened again, returning her to reality. She looked out the window, her voice softening a bit. "Stupidity." Was her only answer.

The room fell silent, sensing the gravity of the statement. Our teacher however, seemed to be immune. "Take a seat in the front row, where I can keep an eye on you!" The girl shrugged, obviously unfazed, and began to move towards her seat. Noticing her reaction, the woman in the hideous purple coat changed her mind. "On second thought, go sit in the back, as far away from me as possible."

Annoyed, the white haired girl changed direction. There was only one seat open in the back row. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her as she slumped down next to Jacob. She might be tough now… But Jacob had his ways.

I'd have to keep an eye on her.

* * *

**Author Note:**

JACOB RETURNS, MUHAHAHAHAHAHA. Still, how did I go about describing the school and the atmosphere and such?

The Mob Reader provided me with a brilliant quote, so I will use it. "To get through life, you need school. And life's a bitch. So In essence, schools a bitch."

Great words, great words. Moving on, we have some more votes rolling in! Lets use my basic knowledge of mathematics (Which I may or may not have failed this semester.) to add them up.

Harem: 6  
Amber: 5  
Key: 4  
Raven: 1

*Mutters* I can't believe a harem is in the lead...

I've already taken up a lot of space here, so I'm going to skip review replies today, but! Quick thanks to Guest, Delirious the Cat, WiseguyJaco, KingArthur3, Chase1998, Darkrider220, MrMario152 and of course, The Mob Reader.

Quick reply to Mr. Mario.

I really appreciate your offer to proof read the chapters and normally I'd take you up on it without a second thought. However, I'm posting these chapters as _soon _as they're finished, which is usually at some ungodly hour. I read over them briefly to check for major errors, but at one in the morning, my mind isn't exactly sharp. Before I release the final chapter to this story, I will go through and personally correct every error I've made, but until then, I'm afraid we'll all have to struggle through these dark times of British oppression. *Nazi reference.*

Alright, get some sleep all. But if you're going to be a little rebel, go read chapter three on A Fool's Conviction. Goodnight.

\- Sylent


	16. Touch her again

**Author Note:**

So here's chapter sixteen. And this chapter... Was written for a specific person.

It's one of my friends birthdays today, and so far, I've got no idea what to get her. It's a pretty awesome birthday to have though right? 4/20? Hahahaha, anyway. She is the reason that this chapter is over five thousand words long, as opposed to the usual three thousand, and it's also why there is a perspective from her favourite character. She's an amazing person, and a good friend, in her own way.

Hopefully she'll enjoy it once she gets around to reading. So, my dear friend. Happy birthday. And in the meantime, I'll try and find you a better gift. :P

* * *

**"Touch her again..."**

Classes passed quickly. It would seem that not only were the mobs attractive, but also fairly intelligent, especially Key. She seemed to be knowledgeable on almost every subject the teacher threw at her. Physics, calculus, even engineering. She ran off answers shyly, but still with one hundred percent accuracy.

Isaac didn't spend too much time focusing, but when he was asked a question, he quickly adapted. The Creeper had taken a seat amongst a group of girls, who seemed to be extremely friendly, not to mention a little seductive. He couldn't be enjoying himself more.

Raven still wasn't talking to anyone. She slumped in her chair, on the verge of falling asleep, but never succeeding. It would seem the only thing she knew how to handle was negative reinforcement. As soon as someone said something positive to her… She didn't know what to do. Still, the way Isaac would glance back at her every twenty minutes or so…

The bell rang loudly, dismissing us from the boring lecture. At the start of the year, our teacher had tried to explain that he was the one who dismissed us, and we could only leave when he allowed us to. That didn't last very long.

Isaac was the first to depart, being hustled out of the room by his female fans. He struggled a little, obviously wanting to stick with us, but his efforts were futile. Key went next, surrounded by her small entourage. The girls that encircled her weren't the bitchy type, they were the nerds. She would be fine. The Endergirl looked back at me once she reached the doorframe. I nodded at her to continue. And now, as usual, Raven and I were the only ones to remain.

I looked over at her. She stared up at the roof, her red hair hanging out at odd angles. Her arms hung limp by her sides and she pushed off of the ground lightly with her feet, swinging in her chair.

"What kind of asshole compliments one girl and then runs off with a dozen others?" She asked, talking to herself more than to me.

I smirked, for once Raven might actually be showing emotion. "One who knows the first girl will keep thinking about him, no matter how many girls he runs off with."

Her cheeks brightened a little. It was so foreign, seeing her like this. When she blushed, she almost looked beautiful. Her scowl returned. "He's so annoying."

"If you're not careful, somebody might think you're smitten."

A light laugh echoed from her. "With that asshole? I don't thi-"

She paused as a figure appeared in the doorway, bent over and breathing heavily. Spikey blond and brown hair, thick black framed glasses, dull green eyes. "You guys," He took another breath before continuing. "Are friends with," Breath. "Amber," Breath. "Right?

I glanced back at Raven before returning my gaze to the boy. "What's happened?"

"Jacob… Is-" He managed to push out.

I was out the door and in the hallway before the boy had time to finish his sentence. "Where?" I asked, my pace quickening. He had to jog in order to keep up.

"Near the sports field."

I broke into a sprint as I left the steps, pushing passed oncoming students and dodging the occasional teacher. I hurdled over any obstacles that lay in my path, gaining amused looks from those around me. It wasn't long before I stood on the grass of the large playing field. It stretched onwards for a distance, curving around into an expansive oval. A small group of twenty or so people were gathered near the outside edge. I crossed the distance quickly, pushing through the gathering of spectators.

Amber stood alone, a few meters from a grinning Jacob, who was backed up by five burley looking thugs.

I stood slightly in front of the skeleton, staring down her opponent. "What the fuck is going on?"

"Davi'!" Jacob announced, as if he was glad to see me. "We were just talking."

"And it takes a six man team to talk to one girl?" I retorted, not letting my guard drop.

Amber straightened a little next to me. "David, it's alright, I've got this."

I ignored her and assessed the situation. The boy didn't look as if he were here for diplomacy. But six against two…

Jacob strode forwards, nearing the girl. "What're you gonna do Davi'? We're just getting to know each other." His hand reached for her.

All consequences gone from my mind, I caught his wrist, stopping him. "Touch her…" I let anger seep into my eyes. "And I'll break your hand."

He grinned cockily. "We both know you can't fight for shit." A small gesture brought his thugs a few steps forward. His humorous façade dropped. "You can't protect her."

He slammed a fist into my jaw, sending me stumbling a few steps backwards. My vision blurred slightly before focusing once more. Amber had erupted into movement, kicking high into the air to send one of our attackers spinning to the ground. I moved towards Jacob, but was quickly cut off by a black-clad minion.

Kicking into his knee, he groaned and dropped his guard. Taking the opportunity, I slammed an elbow into the side of his head. He hit the ground with a dull thud, out cold. I heard Amber land a few more solid hits, but their effect was minimal. She was used to fighting with weapons, a sword and bow. A fist fight wasn't her forte.

Despite that, she had so far managed to hold her own, putting two of her opponents out for the count. But as the last three, Jacob included, closed in… Her space was compromised. She didn't have the time to throw a punch or land another kick. She was pinned. It wasn't long before her arms had been restrained behind her. She thrashed violently, but no matter how strong she thought she was, it wasn't enough to set her free.

Jacob grinned as he moved towards her, looking her figure up and down greedily. His hands brushed against her hips, freezing her in place. She knew violence, she knew how to hit back and how to kill. But what he was doing to her… She didn't know how to respond. I tackled the boy to the ground just as his palms began to slide upwards.

I pushed him hard against the dirt, grabbing hold of his wrist when he tried to counter my attack. Realising what was about to happen, his eyes finally reflected fear. I twisted his palm backwards and slammed it heard against the ground. A shriek of agony escaped from him as the bone fractured and cracked.

I grabbed onto his collar and yanked his head to look at me as the faint specks of tears began to dot his eyes. "She's mine! You understand that?" His only response was a few pathetic sobs. "Do you fucking understand that!?" I yelled into his face.

He nodded slightly, and I let his head drop back to the earth. Finished with him, I stood up and stepped towards the white haired girl. The two thugs that still restrained her seemed unsure of what to do, looking at each other for direction.

Fed up, I issued them an order. "Just let her g-"

Amber interrupted me, screaming. "David look out!"

I turned just in time to see the flash of steel as it arced towards me. Pain shot through my shoulder, rebounding maliciously across every nerve in the vicinity. I followed Jacob's uninjured arm towards my body, were it ended with his fingers grasped around a metal hilt. The pain told me to cry out, to turn agony into words. But I could only stare at the knife, its blade obscured beneath my skin.

A faint trickle of blood began to form around the cut, slowly turning into a larger stream. My gaze turned slowly to Jacob, who stared absently at what he had done. A few tears still welled in his eyes, his face contorted in pain. I removed his limp arm from the hilt, letting it fall back to his side. He stared up at me, frightened and confused. I held his eye contact, returning a determined gaze, letting my rage seep through. I reached over to the blade and began sliding it out. The serrated edge tugged roughly against the muscle, but I did not make a sound.

It seemed like an age before I was free of the steel. Pain overflowed my mind, but I did not let it consume me. Finally, the tip of the knife fell from my skin. I held the crimson soaked implement up to show him. He stared at the blade, which was roughly six centimetres long. He was more than afraid now… He was terrified.

I dropped the weapon, letting it spiral downwards and land at our feet. He flinched as it hit the ground. His gaze was fixated on mine, shaking, fearful, horrified.

"Touch her again… And I _will _kill you."

He swallowed, and nodded once.

Turning, I merely had to look at the two beasts that restrained the skeleton to make them release their hold. She rushed over to me. Her eyes studied the wound, worried. "Are you okay?" I asked.

She stared up at me, shocked. Her expression quickly took on anger. "Am I okay? Am I okay!? For fucks sake David look at yourself! Stop worrying about me for one god damn second and just… And just…" Her composure shattered as a tear rolled from her eye.

Without saying a word, I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close. She rested her head against my chest, for once letting me comfort her. I could feel the few tears that dropped against my shirt, leaving small patches of sentiment in their wake.

"This is why, I don't get too close to people…" She mumbled against my chest. "They just get hurt."

I smiled a little. "Some people, are worth getting hurt for."

She stiffened at my words, before delicately placing her hands on my sides, clutching at my shirt. I had never seen her like this before. She had always seemed strong, like a brick wall that allowed nothing to affect her… It had taken a lot, but she had finally shown her soft side.

My eyes rose from her and swept across the stunned audience. They stood still, staring at me. A few subtle whispers passed between them, and soon, phones were out and tapping away. I sighed, the whole thing was going to be blown out or proportion. Not that there was much to exaggerate…

Standing off to the side, separated from the others, was my informer. The blond haired boy with the geeky looking glasses. I nodded my thanks to him, causing him to nod back hurriedly. And with that, he shifted awkwardly before departing, fading into the growing crowd like smoke.

I could feel a small tingling sensation against my wound, which seemed to dissipate the pain slightly. But as Amber pushed away from me, the feeling was lost and the pain returned. She seemed hesitant to step back. Almost as if she were on the verge of staying in my embrace for the rest of the day, but forcing herself to decide against it.

She looked off to the side, deliberately avoiding eye contact. She didn't want me to know what she was thinking. "Thanks… But next time, just let me deal with my own problems." Her usual bravado had returned, sending her shy side back into hiding.

I noticed a few specks of blood in her hair, where she had rested against my bleeding chest. I moved forward, growing close to her once more, and wiped the substance away with my fingertips. I looked down at her. By this point she had given up trying to be subtle about it, and shut her eyes completely, ensuring that I couldn't read her.

I smirked. "Not happening."

She smiled and bit her lip, her eyes remaining closed. "I hate you."

"I know."

A small disturbance in the crowd admitted an exasperated redhead. She seemed worn out, the Endergirl and Isaac in her wake. As they came to a halt, the trio studied the scene before them carefully. Three people lay on the ground, one of them dead to the world and the others beginning to come to. Jacob was mumbling to himself a few meters away, flanked by his two remaining followers. A bloodied knife was discarded on the grass, a noticeable trail of crimson droplets leading to me. And Amber and I, standing close enough to feel each other's breathing.

"What took you so long?" I asked, a little cockily.

Raven snarled at me. "My legs aren't as long as yours, jackass." She eyed my wound, then Amber, and then Jacob.

Her eyes narrowed considerably as she approached the offender, walking straight passed us. I would have stopped her… But with the anger that coursed through her veins, there would be no reasoning. Jacob had his back to her as she advanced, still mumbling to himself about something. Amber, her eyes now open in interest, watched carefully.

Raven reached up to his shoulder, grabbing hold and spinning him to face her. He barely had time to recognise what was going on before she pummelled a fist into the side of his face, sending him spinning to the ground. A groan escaped him as he hit the earth with a heavy thud. Raven was on him in seconds, flipping him over and straddling him.

He stared up at her weakly as she slammed another punch into his jaw, and another to his ear. Unlike Amber, Raven knew how to through her momentum into every hit. Where she had learnt to do so, was still a mystery to me. Every impact coloured the skin underneath it red, occasionally leaving small cuts and grazes.

It was starting to get ugly as he seemed to lose the will to fight back. Raven was fuelled with anger, and showed no signs of ending her onslaught. Every hit brought Jacob's eyes to a new level of haze, before he was almost unconscious. But if the redhead had wanted him that way, she would have packed a direct connection to his temple, which so far she had deliberately avoided. No… She wanted him to feel every hit.

Her next round was caught, moments before breaking the boy's nose. She struggled against the hold, but could not break it. Her gaze flickered upwards to stare into Isaac's. He looked upon her, neutral. The on watchers let out their pent up breath, relieved that the battering had come to an end.

"Let him be, or end it. Torture isn't your style." His voice was thick, drilling the words into the girl.

She blinked, her rage filled aura weakening slightly. Isaac let her go, seeing that she had returned to reality. She remained on top of the boy, trying to decide which path she would take as he walked the verge between consciousness and the void. His vision finally focused, some of the haze fading away. Raven scowled at him as she stood, leaving him alone in the dirt.

The Creeper looked down at the boy he had just saved as Jacob struggled to his hands and knees. Seeming to decide he did the right thing, Isaac turned and trailed after Raven. He had only made it a few steps before Jacob pushed to his feet, small trails of blood rolling down his face.

His words were hushed, but the silence was so deafening that they could not be missed. "Bitch."

Isaac's jaw clenched and he rolled his eyes. His sleeve was quickly pushed up around his bicep and he spun with insane force. One leap towards Jacob was all it took to be within range. It happened faster than anyone could possibly hope to process it, and if I hadn't known better… I could have sworn I saw flames flickering across the Creeper's knuckles. A fist crashed into Jacob's stomach, sending him flying. His body was in the air for a solid three seconds before he finally came plummeting towards the ground, rolling and sliding across the tattered grass until he eventually came to a complete stop.

Isaac stared at the crumpled figure, defeated a few meters away. "She's out of your league."

* * *

**Perspective Change: Key**

* * *

My eyes were fixated on David as his jaw clenched against the obvious pain he was in. The tall nurse who stood over him smiled apologetically, before digging the needle back into his skin.

The room we were in was large, and unnaturally clean. Steel frame beds were aligned against both walls, a few patients littered across them. The boy who had assaulted Amber was one. He was waiting to be treated next, although he had dropped into unconsciousness long ago.

The swinging doors at the end of the room splayed open to permit a short man. He was old, but still seemed energetic despite his lack of any noticeable hair. A simple brown suit jacket and dusty green leggings defined him. He paced towards us, taking his time despite seeming in a hurry.

"I've been told we've had an incident." He announced, quickly noticing David. His eyes widened at the sight of a stab wound.

David only smirked. "You should see the other guy."

The oddly dressed man, who had yet to introduce himself, turned to see the boy on the bed opposite. His eyes traced every bruise and swell on his body, before noticing something peculiar on his exposed abdomen. "Is that a burn mark?"

Isaac shifted awkwardly on the other side of David's bed. Raven elbowed him in the ribs, causing him to flinch a little.

The nurse spoke while she tied off the stitching. "It would seem like it, although it could just be high impact grazing." She paused a moment while she cut off the leftover string. "One of the students caught the whole thing on his phone. Ruth loaded it onto this for you."

She reached over to the small bedside table that sat next to David and handed the man a flat screen. It looked like a miniature version of the television at home. Pressing the small button at the edge of the device, he swiped across it quickly, soon blaring audio from the concealed speakers. It was placed on the end of the bed, so that we could all see.

The shapes and colours that moved across the screen clearly depicted the whole event. Amber being confronted, insults being exchanged, David pushing through the circle of spectators, the fight, the boy touching Amber…

It made me feel uneasy, seeing how helpless the usually strong girl appeared. I looked over to find her avoiding the images, staring at the wall. My gaze returned to the screen.

Raven flung the offender to the ground, raining attacks upon him. I wanted to look away as I saw the boy beat senseless for the second time, but I kept my eyes fixated, knowing how it would end. Finally we heard Isaac's final words before the clip came to an end. The room was quiet, both the nurse, and the peculiar man unsure of how to proceed.

"Can I get a copy of that?" Isaac asked, blatantly unaffected.

They glared at him, answering his query and turning his questioning gaze away. After a moment of thought, the man began speaking again. "Sexual assault is hardly something new for Jacob, but a stabbing is fa-"

David stopped him. "What do you mean, sexual assault is hardly something new? He's done it before?"

"More than once." Raven spat.

I was a little confused about what they were referring to, but I could sense the gravity of the conversation.

"How has he gotten away with it?" David asked, anger in his voice.

The man who was being interrogated sighed. "Both of his parents are part of the school board. The reports are filed, and soon disappear like smoke."

"Then go to the poli-"

"His older brother is secretary to the head of department. It's impossible, believe me, I've tried." He looked over to the boy in question, pausing. "He's just another rich kid with family in high places, getting away with whatever he wants." He returned his gaze to us, cycling through David, Isaac and Raven. "As your principal, I'm telling you how damaging fights can be to everyone involved, and I'm suspending you for the rest of the day. But as your mentor… You did the right thing. You might have taken it a little too far, but he needed to learn his lesson."

The word principal finally revealed who the man was. The head of the school… I suddenly felt slightly out of place next to someone so prestigious. But David seemed to know him well already, almost as if they were a formal type of friends.

The principal cleared his voice, before turning and walking towards the door. "I'd be careful… His parents are protective… And violent."

As the man left, the room fell silent once more. The nurse moved to tend to Jacob. My gaze returned to David, who lay calmly on the bed before us. His wound had been stitched and cleansed of blood, covered with a rough bandage. He seemed for tired than in pain, almost as if he were planning to drift off right then.

"I'm sorry." Amber mumbled, uncharacteristically.

David looked over to her, his gaze taking on a warm feeling as he did so. He smiled a bit. Something felt like it was burning in my chest. Like a fire was building up inside of me, flickering around my heart. I felt my expression turn to one of confusion. What was this feeling? Amber avoided his eyes, but he kept looking at her in the same way, regardless of how she rejected him. The flame burned brighter, seemingly fuelled by her ignorance. Was this…

Jealousy?

* * *

**Perspective Change: Amber**

* * *

I hated him.

I hated him _so _much. The way he would always be there at my weakest moments. The way he wouldn't let me face anything alone. The way he could understand me so well… He infuriated me. This was the _third_ time. The third time he had put himself in danger just to protect me. I kept hurting him, but he didn't seem to care. I kept trying to push him away, but he always came back…

"Checkmate." Zoe spoke from across the table.

I looked down at the chessboard that sat between us, sighing. And _that, _was three games in a row I had lost.

She looked at me, her head tilting to the side. "You're thinking about something." She began setting up the board for another game, returning the pieces to their designated tiles. "Stop."

She was right, of course. Stop thinking, just focus on the time you're in now. It was easier that way, not dwelling on the past or guessing at the future. I could hear Raven talking to Isaac in the next room. They were looking down at a slip of paper, food that I didn't recognise was printed across it. They seemed to have reached a crossroad, the Creeper wanting one thing, while the redhead wanted another. It was at times like these when their fiery personalities clashed. The way they resolved these differences was gradually progressing. At first they had full on attacked each other, but now…

Isaac poked the girl in the ribs, sending shivers up her spine and making her release a small yelp of surprise. As he was laughing, she soon recovered and stamped down on his foot. He hopped up and down a few times, trying to cope with the sudden jolt of hurt. It was Ravens turn to laugh before his pain subsided and they returned to the menu, quickly coming to a decision.

I couldn't help but smile as I watched them. They hated each other, but they made the most of it somehow. They made it work to a point where they almost seemed, _happy. _Well, their version of happy anyway.

My mind bounced back to today's fight. The way I had been confronted and… Touched. The thought made me sick. I should have just kicked him down, but when it was happening… It was like my mind just froze. I didn't want to admit it, but if David wasn't there, I'm not sure how things would have turned out.

It was a few lost chess games later that there was a knock on the door. Raven and Isaac raced to open it, soon returning with three square boxes. They set them on the table, opening the lids as the occupants of the house gathered. The smell was intoxicating, mixtures of cheese, meat and crust rising into the air. I took a slice of what was being called 'pizza' and bit into it.

I instantly fell in love, talking another, larger, bite. As usual, it was a struggle for food, soon turning into a sort of tribal warfare. David looked out for Key, as she was too shy to advance on the enemy lines. Isaac and Raven worked as a team, securing one of the three boxes before fighting amongst themselves for the contents. And Zoe, as usual, still managed to dominate the food chain.

David sat back, apparently giving up on his chances at another slice. "Raven, I've been meaning to ask… But is it okay for you to be staying here."

The girl froze mid bite, her gaze hazing a bit. She set her meal down and swallowed. "Yeah… Nobody will miss me…"

His gaze narrowed before he continued, reassuring her. "You can stay as long as you like. I mean, it's good having another human here."

She looked up at him, giving half a smile, the ghost of a smile. "Thanks… But you've reminded me that I need to get some stuff from home." She tilted her head a bit. "Are you serious, when you say I can stay as long as I want?"

David hesitated as something seemed to occur to him. "As long as you clear out when my mother visits, it should be fine. You can come back as soon as she leaves."

He seemed to sense that she didn't like it back at her house. Although, by the way she was so distracted when the topic was brought to light, it was fairly obvious. I wondered briefly at what could have such an effect on her, despite how strong she was. I was interested, but it really wasn't my place to ask. I knew what it was like to be reminded of things you'd rather forget…

Isaac yawned loudly, seeping a little further into his chair before looking to Raven. "Any chance of sharing your bed tonight?"

Raven snapped out of her trance and raised an eyebrow at the Creeper. "Depends, do you want to be alive in the morning?" He seemed to seriously consider the options. A short wince escaped him as Raven punched him underneath the table. Her gaze became slightly playful. "That's a no, idiot."

"Fine, at least the sofa loves me." He replied, turning away in mock protest.

She studied her nails. "Probably the closest you'll get to a relationship."

Their argument continued as Isaac proceeded to list the names of girls who were interested in him. I vaguely recognised a short one line response that set Zoe laughing and lit Key's eyes with humour, but I was too far gone to pick out the words. I was exhausted, but I didn't know why. Maybe with everything that had happened throughout the day… My first school, arguing with the teacher, the fight, the follow up, lounging around home.

I slowly separated from the group and ascended the stairs quietly. David's door was already opened and I found him examining a monitor on his desk. It was strange, I hadn't noticed him leave the table. I guess he had learnt a thing or two from Isaac, after all, although that seemed like an age ago now.

He looked over his shoulder at me, before spinning in his chair. "Tired?"

I fell onto the comfy bed in response, burying my head in the pillow. He smiled before turning the screen off and standing. I watched him shut the door before flicking the light switch, plunging the room into darkness.

"Me too." He stated, moving towards his space on the floor.

I wasn't sure what I was thinking when I caught his sleeve. In fact, I'm not sure I was thinking at all. He looked down at me, his eyes still adjusting to the darkness. My mind hurried for an excuse, although I wasn't sure why I needed one. Finally, my vision swept across his injury and I managed mumbled something. "L- Let me heal that."

The boy before me smiled. "You've never told me how you go about that."

I realized my mistake and franticly searched for something else, but my mind drew a blank. Why was I freaking out so much? This was David. The same David who I had met in Minecraft, the same David who had run out into the night to carry me back to safety, the same David whom I taught to fight. I knew him.

I swallowed before replying. "Well, last time… I just laid next to you for the night." His eyes took on that old clockwork rhythm as his memory kicked back to the days we had spent surviving. When he returned, his cheeks had gained a slight blush. I laughed at him despite mimicking the reaction. "It doesn't mean anything, I just… Don't like seeing you hurt, is all…"

I said the words, but we could both tell I didn't mean all of them. The corner of his moth tilted upwards slightly, smiling at me. That smile… I looked away before I could return the gesture.

"Shift over." He spoke.

Still deciding if I was going to go through with it, I eventually gave him a little space. I suppose I could always roll him off the edge if I changed my mind. He lay down, facing me. We were close enough to hear each other's breath. I could almost feel the warmth of his skin… The healing influence began to take effect as I felt a small tug on my energy. I looked up to him.

His unwavering blue eyes stared into mine. I saw his familiar thought process twisting behind them, although it seemed slower than usual tonight. My gaze flickered to his lips for only a split second as a crazy thought forced its way into my consciousness. We were close, too close. Close enough, that if I wanted too…

I turned over onto my other side, facing my back to him. "Goodnight."

A small chuckle escaped the boy behind me. "Goodnight, Amber."

I felt my face turn red.

* * *

**Author Note:**

I'm running out of time before it hits 5/20 so I'm gonna keep it short.

Voting has not closed, but I'm going to stop displaying the numbers so it's at least a _little _bit of a surprise. Also, welcome back to Techhy! Reviewers, I love you, and you are brilliant. Please, reviews are my fuel to creative fire... That was strangely poetic.

Now, I've been on holidays for the past two weeks, and the first day of school starts in a few minutes. Over those two weeks, I have released a grand total of... Drum roll please. *Pathetic drum roll created by me tapping on my desk for a few seconds.*

Seven chapters. Three of those have been for Endergirl, four of them for A Fool's Conviction. Now considering that I was releasing one a _week_ beforehand, that is pretty damn good if I do say so myself. Still, be warned, I got my grades back and, well... _Passed. Just. _So, updates may be a little less frequent. Still, content should improve as I'll have more time to think about plot twists that you guys don't see through _instantly._

Alright, I'm done. Wish my friend a happy birthday, get some sleep, read A Fool's Conviction, work on your stories, ask your crush out, watch more anime, kill more noobs. You guys are the best, and that list is your homework, don't let me down.

Goodnight. :)

\- Sylent


	17. What's the café?

**Author Note:**

Alright, so it's been two weeks and I'm sorry about that... A lot has happened. Let's see if I can't summarize.

I got back to school, which instantly rekindled my lack of motivation to do anything at all, even classwork. I got tasked with four assignments straight up, most of which I haven't even attempted to start. Furthermore I made the horrible mistake of joining backstage for the school musical. To be honest, it really wasn't that bad. It was a great distraction, I learnt a lot, I got to meet some new friends and make fun of the wigs that my old ones had to wear. Still, I managed to raise another bout of depression, which I thought I had shaken.

So I pretty much spent the entire two weeks doing nothing but moving sets and thinking. Taa daa. If not for the thoughts of a few, I'm sure this chapter would have been delayed for another few weeks. So thank you to Chase1998, for just sending a message to check up on me, and Techhy, for letting me know I did something useful. And of course, to that one other person, who shall not be named because it'd be hella awkward.

AHEM. RIGHT. Now that all the pathetic mushy stuff is out of the way, let's get on with the story! I was a little lost for ideas, but I just kept throwing words at a page and this is what we got. So enjoy!

* * *

**"What's the café?"**

Purple.

Purple as far as the eye could see. But it wasn't the kind of warm and vibrant magenta that I had come to know. It was a dark, and diseased shade. Power and pain seeping through it as the colour consumed me. My mind was overflown with a sky of nothing else, no clouds to disrupt it, no trees to dot the horizon, just…

_Purple._

"Where is the egg?" A voice boomed through my head, sending reels of agony down my spine.

I shivered at the presence of such a dark aura, but pressed forwards anyway. "W- Who are you?" My voice came out weak, and unsure.

"_Where_ is the egg?"

The pain that poured from the voice made me want to back away. "What are you talking about?"

"_Where is it!?_"

I jolted upright, my brain seeming to coil around itself, morphing this way and that until it could finally make out the shapes and patterns around me. White walls, grey carpet, black desk… My room.

A dream?

I felt something shift slightly next to me. I looked down at Amber, who lay beside me peacefully. Her arms were folded under the pillow, holding onto it lightly. One of her long legs extended towards the end of the bed, whilst the other was brought up towards the side, folding back halfway. A few lengths of white hair fell across her face, over her gently parted lips and across her closed eyes. She had turned over in her sleep, now facing me despite her best efforts. The baggy black T-shirt that she had borrowed, exposed one of her shoulders, the collar slipping down to her arm.

A small smile passed across my face as I looked at her. She was beautiful. There was no other word for it. Carefully, I pulled the fabric back over her shoulder, my fingers brushing across her soft skin for only a moment. She shifted once more at the contact, but thankfully, didn't wake.

I looked back at my dream, which was quickly fading from memory. It wasn't a mystery, what they were asking for. The egg that had started it all, the one Key had stolen from the End. The object which was required to release the Wither.

The Ender Dragon egg.

But something ticked at the back of my mind. The Wither… I slid out of bed carefully, my muscles complaining at having to work so early in the morning. I noticed Amber curl up a little bit, as if sensing that I was no longer there. It took all of my willpower not to abandon my thought, and lay down by her side once more. Resisting the urge, I tread quietly over to my desk and flipped open my laptop, quickly dialling down the brightness.

I opened Chrome and softly typed my question into the search bar.

_Minecraft how to spawn the Wither_

Clicking on the first link, my suspicions were soon proven correct. Soul sand, and Wither skeleton heads… There was no mention of an Ender Dragon egg. The conversation between Raven, Key and I seemed to have occurred ages ago, but I could still recall the redhead's words.

_'__The Wither boss. An endgame enemy in Minecraft that is almost impossible to kill. The Ender Dragon egg is required to summon it.'_

I remembered Key agreeing with her too… Raven knew Minecraft far better than I did, and the Endergirl was practically born there. So why didn't they know the truth? I scrolled through the wiki article that I had opened. From what I read, it was certainly a difficult enemy… But not an impossible one…

The questions that I thought had been subdued, started to careen through my mind once more. What were hybrids? Who was making them? Why did they want the Ender Dragon egg so badly? How long were we going to be attacked? Who was sending the possessed hybrids? My thoughts slowed as one question in particular, announced itself.

_Why_ had I stopped thinking about these things?

My consciousness seemed to fall into silence as the query passed unanswered. Had I just been too busy to think on it? Too caught up with keeping everybody safe? No… Something wasn't right… I struggled to hold onto my sanity as I felt the thoughts begin to fade along with my dream. I fought against the force that threatened to tear my memories away. It was a time, but I soon returned victorious.

I winced as a sudden throb echoed through my head, departing as quickly as it had come. My thoughts felt clearer, my senses sharper. But it all felt so sudden… Like a badly developed plot twist in some third rate story, created purely to cover up the authors mistake. Looking back, it was as if the last few days had all been a distraction. I had just assumed that having the mobs stay here was the best thing to do… But had we really planned to carry on with this normal lifestyle?

We still needed to figure out who was behind all of this…

"Stop thinking so loud." Amber murmured from behind me, snapping me out of my rushed contemplation. She opened an eye. "You're keeping me awake."

I closed my laptop and moved back towards the bed. "I'm sorry."

She smiled a little as I lay down next to her. "What were you looking at?"

"I'll tell everyone later." I met her gaze, retelling my thoughts briefly, but not in detail.

Nodding, she closed her eyes once more and relaxed. Her soft side was showing through her tranquil state, her ferocious attitude hidden for the moment. The corner of her mouth twitched as I finished the thought.

"Hey… Has your shoulder healed?"

It occurred to me that the pain from my wound was gone, it was so natural that I hadn't even noticed. I moved my hand upwards, brushing over where the injury should be. All that I found was a small disturbance on the skin, a scar. "Yeah, seems like it."

She cuddled a little closer to me, her side brushing against my chest. The contact made me freeze. Amber wouldn't do something like this for no good reason… A moment passed before she whispered something.

"Then get off."

She pressed into my chest, nudging me towards the side of the bed. I struggled to hold onto my small amount of territory, rocking precariously near the edge. "No, Amber wait!"

Smirking, she pushed harder. "Nope."

I tumbled off the side, hitting the hardly soft carpet below with a dull thud. I groaned in complaint, rolling to look up at the skeleton. She peeked over the mattress, a few strands of cloudy white hair hanging down. Her gaze was playful, smiling.

"After everything we've been through…" I said, stretching out a hand and flicking her in the forehead.

She recoiled from the attack and raised an eyebrow, but the playful aura remained. "I still plan to kill you."

Grinning, I rolled onto the blankets that were still laid out on the floor. "Whenever you're ready darling."

"D- Darling?"

* * *

I handed the laptop over to Raven, who examined it curiously. "That's how you summon the Wither."

Her expression turned to one of suspicion. "What about the Ender Dragon egg?"

"You don't need it."

We were sat before the TV in the media room, Zoe and Key consumed with the device. Isaac listened into our conversation, partially interested, trying to catch a glimpse of the screen that sat on Ravens lap. And Amber was searching through the fridge in the kitchen, looking for something to eat.

"This can't be right… You need the egg." The redhead concluded, handing the laptop back to me.

I shook my head. "Every website and video says the same thing."

I watched as she seemed to struggle with the idea, the thought prancing around her mind. She squinted a little. "No… You need the egg."

By now, the repetitive argument had gained Key's attention. She nodded along with Raven's statement. I studied them warily. They were serious, they weren't joking around. "Why?" I asked.

The two paused. A time passed, but they both seemed unable to answer. This whole situation was off… Someone, or something, was toying with our brains. Amber, Isaac and Zoe seemed unaffected, and I had broken free… But Key and Raven…

The redhead let out an agitated groan, which quickly turned into an alarming yell. She clutched at her head in frustration. "What the fuck is going on?" I continued to watch her as she spoke. "If they don't need the egg to release the Wither, then what the fuck do they want it for?"

Key closed her eyes, seemingly unsure of herself. But she soon refocused when Zoe leant against her, as if sensing the Endergirl's diminishing confidence. The spider's presence seemed to steady her older friend…

"I don't know, but they want it badly…" The afterimage of my dream rose to my attention once more. I turned to the purple haired girl. "Where did you hide it?"

"Secret." She replied almost instantly.

Raven rolled her eyes. "It's in your room, isn't it?"

The Endergirl disappeared with a sudden pop, returning moments later after rummaging around upstairs. "No."

I sighed. Maybe it was better if we didn't know…

It was at this moment that Amber slumped into the room. She stared at me hopelessly. "Daaavid, there's no food."

Groaning in annoyance, I stood up. "Everybody get dressed, we'll pick something up on the way."

"Can we get pizza?" Isaac asked optimistically.

"We had pizza last night."

"Donuts?" Key chimed.

"Not for breakfast."

Zoe raised a finger. "Spaghetti."

"We don't have time."

The three of them moped as their choices were shut down in rapid succession.

"We'll stop by the café." Raven spoke, a small grin playing across her face.

I winced. "I don't think tha-"

"What's the café?" Isaac asked, curiosity piqued.

The redhead beamed in victory. "We'll show you! Won't we David?"

The café… Well, I suppose there wasn't much choice. Raven's grin only broadened the longer I took to acknowledge her suggestion. I sighed once more, giving in. "Fine."

Maybe if I was lucky… _She, _wouldn't be working there.

* * *

Surprisingly, there was only one café in the area. Sure, if you walked for half an hour or so you would soon come across another. But who could be bothered? The small joint sat on the corner of a street but a few blocks from home. It was a small box of a place, painted an earth brown colour in an attempt to make it seem less ordinary.

The effort were futile.

A string of weary students had already gathered within the small opening before the counter. They moved slowly, their will to push forwards fuelled only by the aroma of coffee. As we neared, I noticed Raven pace a little quicker in anticipation.

_Honestly…_

We soon joined the small queue and waited patiently. I shifted towards the back of our six man group, just in case… The mobs looked in interest at the cakes and breads sealed behind thin sheets of fogged up glass. It wasn't much to look at really, a few croissants and a selection of cream buns. The customer that was being served, a middle aged man with a tattered jacket, soon departed with his order. We took a few steps forward as the line shifted, finally bringing the girl behind the register, into view.

I stifled a groan as my eyes crossed the familiar curtain of hair. Light brown, the colour of chestnut. It was pinned up against her head roughly, without care, like usual. Her eyes radiated a golden glow, slowly scanning every detail before her. She would have been roughly the same height as Amber, if not marginally shorter. Her face was pleasant, agile, and her figure was ever so slightly underdeveloped. Dressed in the subtle grey uniform of the shop, she wore her all too familiar blank expression, void of any emotion.

Jen.

She pretended to ignore our presence until we reached the front of the line, by which time she was well aware of my existence, no matter how hard I tried to conceal myself behind Isaac. I exhaled briefly, relinquishing myself to the ordeal. Purposely avoiding Raven's smug grin, I made my way to the front of our group.

"Finally got some attractive girls in your life huh?" The girl asked as I approached.

"Don't be like that." I muttered back, glancing at her.

She met my eyes steadily, unwavering. "So, which one are you screwing?"

I could feel the mobs become a little surprised behind me. Standing up straighter, I replied honestly. "None of them."

"Then which one do you like?"

I hesitated briefly, but by the time I responded, it was already too late. "None of them."

"Is it the cute one?"

She had caught onto my pause of thought instantly, but whether or not her prediction was correct… Well, I wasn't even sure. It was an impossible battle with her, it always had been. "Can we order?"

"I don't know, can you?"

Amber stepped up beside me, curious. "Do you know him?"

"Unfortunately." Jen replied, passing a sidelong glance at the skeleton.

Finally, Raven put everyone's confusion to rest. "She's David's ex, Jennifer"

The small enclave fell silent. The only sounds were the rush of cars passing along the road behind us, and the ever-present breeze that nipped at our skin.

Amber turned to me, starring daggers. "You never said anything about a girlfriend."

"Y- You never asked… And she's my ex-girlfriend, it's not like we're still dating." I attempted, a little terrified by her gaze.

I felt Jen's blank stare shift across us, assessing some unknown phenomenon. A rare smirk appeared as the corner of her mouth tilted upwards, making me all the more uneasy. Amber whipped around, breaking our eye contact. She pointed towards the glass cabinet at one of the sweets. "I'll have one of those."

Jen adjusted her vision to the specified item. "A cream bun? You'll gain weight quickly if you plan to eat like that."

"Oh, you're right, the last thing I want is to turn out like you."

"By turn out like me, I presume you mean intelligent. Don't worry, you've got nothing to worry about."

"I meant overweight, if you couldn't identify that then you're obviousl-"

I butted between them, nudging Amber to the side. "Oookay, let's just, put that on pause for the moment." I tried my hardest to ignore the battle that still raged between them and looked down at the cabinet once more. Jen calmed herself quickly, returning to a void of emotion. Amber however, seethed behind me. "Five cream buns, six coffees."

The girl moved to collect the items and gestured towards her solemn co-worker to start on the drinks. Isaac shifted towards me while the other three mobs glared at the girl.

"Didn't have you picked for a player." He muttered, keeping his voice down for good reason.

I rolled my eyes. "One broken relationship hardly brands me as one."

"So, why'd you break up?"

I hesitated before nodding towards Jen as she went about her task. "See her expression?"

"Neutral." Isaac noted.

Nodding, I continued. "It hardly ever changes. If she's down, she doesn't show it, if she's happy, it's hard to tell."

"And that was a problem?" He asked after slight consideration.

"Imagine having a relationship where you can't decipher what she's feeling. Is she satisfied? In pain? Joyful? Sad? Angry? Shy? Happy? Scared? You never know what she's thinking… It's infuriating."

The Creeper studied the girl as she soon returned with our order, seeming to look past her, rather than at her. The gold eyed girl noticed his gaze and shook her head. "Take a picture,"

"It'll last longer." Isaac finished, seeming to slam the brakes on his train of thought. "I know."

Jen, as usual, contained her surprise well. The goods were slid across the counter before she punched a few numbers into the register. "Thirty five dollars."

I winced, hoping against all hope that my bank would hold. I took out my wallet and scanned my card. A sigh of relief escaped me as the transaction was approved. The ex-girlfriend noticed the reaction.

"Stop spending so much on condoms and you should be fine."

"It's not like that." I stressed.

"I'm sure. I mean, they've only got huge breasts and perfectly curved figures, not to mention beautiful skin… Except for that hideous scar."

My gaze sharpened a little, the tension becoming ever so slightly hostile. Jen flinched a little as she noticed this, but didn't back down. My words came out hushed, but serious. "I don't care about her scar."

That's what I had said, but the underlying message was clear enough.

_'__Shut the fuck up.'_

And with that, I took my coffee and departed, not waiting to see if the others were following. I remembered now, _why_ I had broken up with her…

* * *

**Perspective Change: The Unnamed Servant**

* * *

It was unnaturally cold in the observation room. Considering the climate outside, it was anything but normal. The mirror like pool that sat inlaid within the floor, shimmered. I grinned a little as I watched David pace from the small shop, Amber soon catching up with him, placing a hand on his shoulder and bringing him to a stop.

He shied away at first, shielding his eyes, but soon meeting her gaze. Their peculiar method of communication was unforseen, to say the least. I had formulated many hypotheses, but I could still not come to a sure-fire conclusion. It was odd, their connection, not to mention a little annoying.

I had, of course, been rooting for Key since the beginning. Personally I thought her and David would make a much better match. Then again, it wasn't as if I didn't have control over the situation… If I wanted too… No, no, no. That's just wrong… Unless…

"When's the next unit rolling out?" An unmistakable voice echoed through my head.

I fought down my sense of annoyance. Even when she wasn't physically near me, she still had a way of meddling with my mind. "Soon, maybe even today if we're lucky."

"Hmm, see if you can't make it a little more entertaining this time."

Her subtle sadist nature was relentless. Sighing, I said all that I could. "I'll try."

* * *

**Author Note:**

Yaaaay, finally getting back to the plotline!

OH OH OH, have I told you about our new goal? Okay, so, stay with me here. If you go to the Minecraft section in Games, switch the filter to all ratings and list by amount of favorites... Last time I checked Endergirl is on page three. Right? Our goal, is to get this story, on the first page. And to do that, we need more than eighty one favorites. This is our current mission. I'll leave it in your capable hands. :D

Reviews!

Guests: THERE WERE FOUR OF YOU. ONE OF YOU GOT US TO 100 REVIEWS WHILST VOTING FOR KEY, ONE OF YOU VOTED FOR AMBER, ONE OF YOU WAS REALLY NICE AND ENCOURAGING, AND THE LAST ONE TALKED ABOUT CAPTAINSPRAKLEZ FOR REASONS UNBEKNOWN TO ME. BUT I LOVE YOU ALL ANYWAY.  
Confused: Oh my god, thank you so much. I totally screwed up and accidentally reposted a chapter. I would have never noticed if you didn't point it out.  
WiseguyJaco: Thanks for reminding me to get back to the plot. They'll be 'round soon.  
JustAnOrdinaryWriter: All sixteen? In one day? Damn... Thanks for the encouragement. :)  
TheCaptainPanda: How many chapters I'm planning to write? I've got no idea, somewhere between twenty and forty, maybe more.  
Sonata Haruka Tsuzihri VII: MORE THAN DXD!? Woah, encouragement overload! I'm really glad you like everyone so much. I pour my heart and soul into taking them out of my head and putting them on paper, so I'm glad it's working. And hey, I can't wait to read your story! Let me know when it's up! :D  
VoidWalker45: Well to be honest, I quite liked the sadistic side of Shade and Terra, so I wanted to see if I couldn't make David a little darker in some circumstances. So thanks for the inspiration again! AND POST MORE RotF!  
Chase1998: Hahaha, I'll pass on the birthday wishes. And I'll try to keep making content that will surprise you. And again, thanks for checking up on me. :)  
john-chen64: Thanks for voting and encouraging.  
Thamiir Davis: As always, your support is appreciated, and your vote accepted.  
Deathknight999: I am _determined_ to make a romance work here. Maybe we can have like... Half a harem?  
AlienPenguine: My friend was delighted to hear that. :P 

Holy crap guys, that's a lot of feedback. And I loved _every_ _single_ sentence. Honestly, you guys are the best. Keep reviewing and I'll try my best to write quicker and better in the future.

ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT... NOW, I JUST CHECKED THE NUMBERS, AND WE'RE AT 8046 VIEWS. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS...

IT'S ALMOST _**OOOOOVVVVEEEERRRR NIIIIIINNEEEEE THHHOOOUSSSSAAAAANNNNNNND!**_

And the way you guys have been reading, there's hardly any doubt that this chapter won't send it above and beyond that mark, so congratulations everyone! This is our first step towards greatness.

Alright, find a comfy blanket, curl up in it, get some sleep, be strong, look at the bigger picture, a piece of paper can't determine you're whole future. Live for the things that matter most to _you._ And don't write author notes late at night, because they turn really deep for some reason. :P

Night all.

\- Sylent


	18. Snowflakes in a blizzard

**Author Note:**

My friend said that to make up for being such a downer in the last chapter, I had to post the next one in three days so she could read it on her flight.

My eyes hurt.

* * *

**Snowflakes in a blizzard.**

They stared at us.

Afraid? Maybe… Some of them smiled, as if thankful. Others turned and muttered to the ones next to them. Well, I suppose we did go a little overboard on Jacob…

We walked through the well-kept grounds, barren trees passing by overhead. It really was starting to get cold. The only person insane enough to forgo his blazer was Isaac, who carried the item over his shoulder. The creeper seemed unfazed by almost everything these days. He had quickly adapted to life here. Like most of the mobs, his classes were a breeze and his peers loved them. Amber being the exception, of course…

I looked over to the girl who walked next to me, sipping on the steaming cup of coffee in her hands. The corner of my mouth curved upwards as a strand of her hair fell across her eyes again. She pursed her lips and quickly pushed the delinquent string behind her ear, returning her hand to the source of warmth as fast as possible.

She noticed me staring at her from the corner of her eye, causing her to cast me a side long glance as her cheeks brightened by the slightest shade. "What?"

Caught, I returned my gaze forwards. "Nothing."

Key echoed a small humph from behind me. I looked over my shoulder at the girl, her eyes almost on level with mine. She seemed unfocused, not noticing for a second. But when she did, her face turned bright red and she cast her eyes to the ground. I smiled, amused by her shyness. Key was still a mystery to me. There were so many things I didn't know about her. But it never felt right to ask about her past… Well, it never felt right to ask about anybody's past in the group. We all had things we would rather not relive. Still, it took a momentous amount of effort to stop the questions from spilling out, fuelled by my provoked curiosity.

And Zoe, well, she was the most secretive of all.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Zoe**

* * *

It felt fake.

The breeze was fake. The buildings were fake. Even the people were fake. I didn't understand it. The way everyone hurried from place to place, organising and categorizing. Why were they hurrying? Why did they ignore the life around them just to check off menial tasks?

My new shoes scuffed against the ground as I dragged my feet. Key flinched in front of me, her bright eyes revealing themselves as she looked back, curious. A small frown of concern played across her face. I looked up and nodded slightly, letting her know I was okay. She smiled back, trusting me completely, no sense of doubt.

With great innocence comes great gullibility.

I pulled my scarf up over my mouth, resting it on my top lip. The split in the path was nearing. It's funny… I lived alone for years, I was used to it. Why did parting now feel so empty? The group slowed as we neared the rupture.

David said something, but I wasn't paying attention. Although, I did notice Key give me a light hug. I rested my head against her comfortable chest, which resembled a set of tender pillows. The Endergirl's skin heated up at the contact, but she didn't pull away until I did. As we parted, I poked her in the ribs, causing her to jump slightly in shock. I nodded subtly towards David. The purple haired girl cast her eyes away in embarrassment, but got the message.

I scanned the group of strange individuals once more. They were all so different, and yet somehow they were trying to coexist. The reason behind it still puzzled me, but at least it wasn't fake… And with that passing thought, I turned and departed towards my class, leaving my friends behind.

* * *

By the time I pushed open the squeaky wooden door, the bell had already rung. Late. And yet the teacher still smiled at my appearance. He was an odd man.

"Ah, Zoe. Glad you're here, we were just about to start."

It was unclear if the comment was supposed to contain sarcasm or not, as I was unable to detect a hint of it. Nevertheless, I sat down at an empty desk near the front of the room. A few whispers escaped the students around me, talking quietly so as to exclude me. I slumped down in my chair and placed my head on the desk. It wasn't long before my eyes lulled shut.

I missed my cave…

* * *

**Perspective Change: Isaac**

* * *

David pushed the three of us towards our classroom. I glanced over my shoulder to see him begin walking Amber towards hers, much to her protest. I couldn't help but grin at them, they looked like a couple. Although, based on what I had seen, nothing could be further from the truth. Amber just seemed so… Unpredictable. And David… Well, I suppose so far he had managed to survive the skeletons volatile personality.

Raven pushed through the doorway, lazily collapsing into her seat moments later. She shifted backwards, throwing her feet up on the desk and balancing the chair precariously on its hind legs. Her eyes lulled closed soon after casting a menacing glance to her neighbour. I smirked at her lack of care. She didn't fuss over social acceptance or small details, she just did exactly what she felt like doing. Still, in this world, it was like seeing a bird in a cage…

I pulled my eyes away from her and sat down, surrounded by some of the hottest girls in the class.

"Oh my god, are you okay? I saw the video of the fight. Did he hurt you?" Cortney asked, her sentences jumping quickly.

She was simple enough to understand. Long blonde hair, too much lip gloss, dull green eyes. I looked over to her and played a small smile. "I didn't do much, just sent him flying is all."

Britt spoke up, leaning a little closer to me. "It was amazing! You must be _really _strong."

I laughed. "I guess so."

The trick to being humble was to let everybody else sell you.

My eyes flickered ever so slightly away from the gorgeous blonde, shifting past her. It was a few moments before I realised what I was looking at. Raven's eyes seemed to flicker open simultaneously, catching my gaze in an instant. Her bright red hair was shaped differently today, as if she had actually put some effort into containing it. But it still came out spiky and hostile. Still, something about almost seemed…

"Hey…" I said absently. "Do you think Raven's hair is soft?"

The girls surrounding me looked at the redhead from the corner of their eyes. "That mop? There's no way. It doesn't even look like she washes it."

Cortney gave me an odd look. "Why are you so interested?"

I didn't break away from Raven's icy glare, which held me in place. Why? Why… "I don't know."

If I hadn't known better, I could have sworn the redhead's cheeks brightened slightly… It must have just been the light. She blinked once, twice, and shook her head as if trying to chase away an unwelcome thought. Raising her arm, she gave me the finger, not bothering to hide it from the teacher. The action broke my trance and I smirked as she turned a cheek to me.

"Maybe I'm just going insane."

* * *

**Perspective Change: Amber**

* * *

"If he gives you any trouble just break his nose." David advised as he leant next to the door.

I pushed as much sarcasm into my sentence as possible. "Why thank you _darling, _I never would have considered such a thing."

He held in a laugh. "You're still mad about that?"

I glared at him, trying to resist the urge to punch him in the stomach. "Furthermore, stop ordering me around."

"Only when I'm sure you're okay."

"I'm _fine._"

His eyes met mine, staring into my thoughts. _'Are you?'_

I stared back into that constantly ticking mind of his, the familiar tempo echoing through our conversation. I could see a million papers fluttering around, some of them torn and tattered, drifting uselessly. Others, bright white, stacked in neat piles. I knew that if I wanted too, I could reach out and take any one of them, relive what was printed there. But no matter how much I wanted to, we both knew that neither of us should travel down each other's roads. But, I couldn't hide anything from him.

I simply smiled back. _'Well enough to break someone's nose.'_

He grinned and nodded towards the door.

Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of my hesitation, I pushed it open and strode through quickly, letting it slide closed behind me. I was met with an angry glare from the woman whose name I failed to recall. But she was the least of my worries. I scanned the room, the occupants staring at me, expectant of something. My eyes rested on him, the brute. Jacob stared back, his recent lesson apparently forgotten, replaced with an unforgiving hate. His glare no longer traced me in lust. No, this was something else…

This was a _promise._

"Late! Two days in a row! And suspended on your first day no less! That's what you get for trying to seduce a classmate." The blob of a teacher spat out.

I paused for a moment before turning to her. My words came out slowly. "Seduce?"

"That's what it says in the report. In fact, I've got a copy of it right here. Who wants to hear what happened?" As usual, nobody responded. Instead they shifted awkwardly in their chairs while they waited for the woman to do whatever she wished. In this case she took up two sheets of paper, stapled together in the corner, and began to read. "Amber Verona, one of the new transfer students this term, was involved in an illicit and violent event on her first day of attendance. Jacob Tennant, one of her classmates, claims to have been eating lunch with friends when she approached him."

The woman looked up at me, her beady little eyes judging from every angle. "Jacob, along with the friends he was with at the time, described Amber's behaviour as 'provocative' and 'intentionally sexual'. When she forced herself upon him, her cousin David appeared almost instantly. Amber proceeded to pretend as if Jacob was the one at fault, and she was otherwise innocent. A simple fight proceeded from there." She finished, tossing the papers back on her desk.

The class was shocked, to say the least. It was one of the few times that whispers broke out in the oppressively silent room. I wasn't sure if I should be insulted or embarrassed. But I knew one thing for sure…

I was pissed.

"But… We all saw the video, right?" Every occupant in the room turned to face the speaker. A spiky blond haired boy, black framed glasses covering hazy green eyes. He continued, a little off put by the attention. "I- I mean, most of us were there. That's not wha-"

"If it's in the report, then it's true and that's final. You're just kids, you hardly know anything about observing the world. And I saw that video, it was obvious enough that someone had messed with it. What's that thing? Pictureshop? Photoshop?"

She spoke the words, but none of my peers were convinced. A few of them nodded at me, or smiled, apologising and showing their support at the same time. It was odd… Their approval had never bothered me before. But to know that they believed me… It made me at least a little happy.

The teacher snapped at she saw the reactions, still trying to control the situation. "Hurry up and sit down, you've wasted enough of our time."

Sighing, I started towards my desk, but paused momentarily halfway. I looked over at the nerdy kid who had tried to stand up for me. "Thanks."

Blood rose to his cheeks, obviously surprised as he cast his eyes downwards. "M- Mm." Was his only response.

I continued the short walk, eventually nearing Jacob, who grinned widely at me despite wearing a thick cast around his hand. I stopped in front of him.

He chuckled slightly, mockingly. "What? You gonna try and _seduce_ me again?"

"No," I smiled back. "I'm trying to decide whether or not to break your nose."

His cocky expression faded momentarily, before returning shortly afterwards. "You're bluffing."

I shrugged and coiled back, jolting forwards to jab him hard in the face. A sickening crack echoed around the room. Blood spurted onto the floor, splattering against my fist. The boy in front of me whimpered like a little girl as he crumpled forwards, bringing his hands up to the wound. I pushed him lightly, causing the off balanced figure to tumble from his chair and whither on the floor.

I watched for a moment as he lay there, helpless. If anything, it returned a small amount of confidence to me. Pulling out my chair, I slumped down on it, propping my feet up on the desktop shortly afterwards. I splayed my hand in front of me, examining my nails.

"I don't bluff."

* * *

**Perspective Change: Sky**

* * *

It was cold.

The fresh breeze rolled across my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. I looked out upon the uneven dune of buildings below me. People I did not recognise rushed from place to place, trying to achieve something. They had goals, and obligations, things they wanted to do…

I returned my gaze to the clouds and propped my cigarette in the corner of my moth, the gentle wisp of smoke becoming even more prominent in the frosty winter air. This was the furthest I could be from them. The empty rooftop on the tallest building. Three stories was high, but not high enough.

A sudden gust blew strands of hair into my face, replacing the world around me with the familiar turquoise shade. I waited for the wind's predictable movements to swipe the curtain back in place. Eventually, the ominous and bulky shapes of the school were revealed once more. I watched the ever present silhouettes pace across the grounds and through the classrooms.

A teacher, one hundred and seventy three centimetres meters tall, one hundred and ninety meters away.

A student, one hundred and sixty five centimetres tall, fifty seven meters away. Estimated ten seconds before obstruction by the next building.

Or at least, that was what I saw, when I looked at people… Numbers. They didn't think like that. They saw themselves and those around them as individuals, with their own traits and personalities.

But even snowflakes become lost in a blizzard.

A small tinge in the side of my neck… I turned slowly, gazing into the classroom of the building adjacent. It was only a two story structure, paled in comparison to its neighbour. I examined each of the students closely, searching. Although it was hard, when the windows reflected so much light…

Reflected.

My eyes readjusted to focus on the reflection that played against the mostly transparent surface. And sure enough, I indirectly met the eyes of another. The image deprived the figure of much detail, but he was still present.

Unbalanced black hair and a slight tan.

He smiled. I tilted my head slightly. It was impressive that he had managed to find me, despite sitting almost eight meters below, separated by thick concrete and brick. I stared at his reflection, taking another puff from my cigarette. Briefly, I wondered what his story was. But the thought soon faded from mind as a paper plane flew into his head, sticking out from his hair like a misplaced spear.

The corner of my mouth lifted slightly as he turned around and muttered something at the redhead who had thrown it. She stuck out her tongue before scrunching up another ball of paper and throwing it at him. I watched their back and forth continue, soon escalating into a full-fledged war.

It was the first time I had found something amusing in years…

* * *

**Author Note:**

Yeah, so my mother kind of reminded me that I needed to focus on school and assignments and homework and exams... I'm not gonna say that it didn't amplify my stress by 10^43, but it totally did. Honestly, it seems like I'm walking on a tightrope at the moment. If I fuck up somewhere I'm afraid it may lead to a serious delay in chapters.

Oh, and it's mother's day tomorrow, so this is your official reminder.

Ummmmm, reviews? Holy fuck I'm tired.

UncleInTheAttic: NOW HOLDS THE RECORD FOR MOST CHAPTER READ IN ONE DAY. Which is seventeen. The first MC fan fiction you've read!? I'm honored. Thanks for the support!  
Guest S: Entertaining entertainment is what we strive for. Thanks. :)  
TheMobReader: I missed you! School is being a bitch at the moment, gotta admit. Oh well, hang in there.  
Mallory Shadowielder: Thank you kindly, I will. :)  
Humphrythebadasslonewolf: *Dies a little on the inside.* That's not nearly as cool...  
KingArthur3: That might be an interesting idea actually...  
WiseguyJaco: Yay, a chapter that you fully approve of! Is it the same unnamed servant? I wonder... :P  
Chase1998: And once again you are full of support! Not sure when I'll be continuing A Fool's Conviction, as it was originally created to work on when I didn't know what to write on Endergirl... But I've got a heap of ideas, so who knows?  
James Shadows: Really?  
Votes: Really, really?  
Awesome Story: CONSIDER IT DONE. PLENTIFUL LEMONS WILL BE ADDED.

_"London bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. London bridge is falling down, my fair lady."_

Goodnight.

\- Sylent


	19. Cold, dead hands

**Author Note:**

A lot has happened. I'll try and summarize for you in order of importance.

As some of you may have noticed, if you read each other's reviews, somebody in-particular commented. Jess, is the friend I always write about. She's the one that did our fan art. She's the one that sets the due dates. She's usually the one that critiques anything I'm not sure about. And more commonly than not, she's the one that stops me from setting fire to my drafts and manuscripts. So, I suppose we all have her to thank for that. :P

Ummm, ah. The reason this chapter was so late is because I lost motivation halfway through, and somebody started yelling something about commitments and grades at me... What? I need to try in my classes? Balderdash!

Oh, and I finally decided on what I'm doing with my life. Up until now I've kind of just drifted from one interest to the next. Over the years I've gone through becoming a Buddhist monk, joining the military, and everything in between. But this morning, as I woke up, one clear thought ran through my mind.

_'Fuck it, I'll just become a best-selling author.'_

So fucking watch me. And I'll tell you guys now, w_hen_ I publish my first book, it _will _be dedicated to _all _of you. I don't care how long it takes, this is what I'm doing. So without further ado, I present the next chapter, in what will be, Sylent's first published work. :D

* * *

**Cold, dead hands.**

The principal had a Porsche.

A Porsche 918. A sleek convertible covered in a sparkling silver shade. It was one of those cars that everybody turned and stared at as it revved it's unnecessarily powerful engine down the street. How the man could afford it, I would never know. But there it was, rolling up in front of us, the rims dancing within the tyres.

The elderly man jumped from the driver's seat as the door swung upwards, obviously trying to contain his enthusiasm about showing it off. "The Porsche Nine Eighteen Spyder, one of the newest models. A hybrid V8 engine that can reach up to three hundred and forty k's an hour, pushing out eight hundred and eighty seven horse power." He looked over the machine proudly, seemingly still in awe of its presence.

Amber, Jacob and I stood outside the front gates of the school, unsure of how to respond. It was impressive… But I felt as if the spectacle was wasted on us. Jacob held a bag of ice over his blood caked nose, his eyes a little damp from holding back tears. It was obvious enough that the skeleton regretted nothing. She examined the beast of a car in front of her, interested.

The principal, unsatisfied with our reactions, grumbled as he pointed Jacob to the passenger side door. "Let's go."

He seemed a little perplexed. "Aren't you going to make her apologize?" His voice came out in a nasal ring that made my ears flinch.

The white haired man glanced over at the white haired girl. Her eyes met his, despite not turning from the machine before her. He looked back to Jacob before returning to the driver's side. "She's not going to apologize." The man stopped, remembering something. "Don't get blood on my seat."

And with that, he slid in, pulling the door closed behind him. Jacob, slightly stunned, paused for a moment before glaring at us. His gaze was fuelled by anger, almost as if he were already plotting his revenge.

"Don't make us break something else." I muttered, fed up with his arrogance.

The stare down continued for a moment longer, before he finally took a step towards the vehicle and popped the door, carefully placing himself in the leather bucket seat before closing it behind him.

The beast of a car accelerated almost as soon as his seatbelt clicked on, the wheels screeching quickly on the tarmac below. Jacob's look of terror was priceless as the ecstatic principal accelerated around the corner, the engine roaring as they vanished from the carpark in a matter of seconds.

I couldn't help but laugh. "So you actually broke his nose?"

Amber whipped around to face me. "You told me to!"

The cold winter breeze flowed around us briefly, causing a small shiver to run across our skin. A few solitary leaves still clung to the branches, but it would not be long until they fell, their presence replaced with flakes of snow.

A small smile spread across my face as I looked at her. Her lively silver eyes, her angular yet soft features, just the hint of cheekbones underneath her perfectly toned skin. The pure white hair had grown slightly longer since we first met, hanging down just past her shoulders. And as always, a few strands still fell gently across her face.

Her cheeks brightened ever so slightly as she noticed my gaze. "W- What are you looking at?"

"You."

"Why?"

"Because you're beautiful." Where I had gained the courage to say it, I would never know.

She froze as her cheeks became visibly red. Her lips moved, but no words came out. The polished silver eyes shied away momentarily, before returning once more to mine. It was one of the rare moments where I couldn't tell what she was thinking. Then again, maybe she couldn't either.

The girl before me let out a frustrated whine, trying to kick her mind back into gear. She threw her fist hard into my stomach. "D- Don't say such embarrassing things."

I winced, but held my ground. The contact reminded me of her strength. Thank god she didn't have her sword with her. She turned and began striding back towards her classroom. I watched her go, that familiar pace of annoyance worked into her steps. A small smirk broke across my face.

"No promises."

* * *

**Perspective Change: Raven**

* * *

I gave him a sidelong glance, annoyed. "Go by yourself."

The creeper looked up to the roof, blowing out a puff of air. "But that'd be boring."

"Then take one of those stuck up bitches with you!"

"They're too girly for this type of thing." He replied, returning his gaze with an innocent smile.

I fumed at his words. "So I'm more like a guy huh?"

He thought for a moment, before flashing a small smile of affirmation, oblivious to my annoyance.

I sighed, almost completely giving up on him. Personally, I had no idea where he had gotten the flyer he now held in front of my face. And I doubt he even fully understood what it inscribed. The thin slip of paper was laden with colourful text and various pictures.

_PAINTBALL SKIRMISH  
OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK BETWEEN 10AM AND 9PM  
FORTY PLAYER GAMES ON A MASSIVE URBAN TERRAIN  
SUPER CHEAP $20 ADMITTANCE  
CAN YOU SURVIVE?_

The sheer amount of capital letters made me nauseous. "Why don't you ask Key?"

Isaac raised an eyebrow, as if doubting my sanity. "I wouldn't be able to focus, she's too cute."

I ground my teeth. "And I'm not?"

He froze, finally gathering why I was more than a little annoyed. "O- Of course you are…"

My eyes snapped to the window, turning away from him. "Go ask someone else."

"Yep."

I heard the boy shuffle away. Although instead of venturing towards another candidate, he simply returned to his seat, slumping down with a small sigh. There were only a few minutes remaining before lunch began, and the teacher had all but given up on trying to teach us. Our class wasn't exactly the best behaved…

David had been pulled out by the principal a while ago. Although, the man never really give a reason as to why. He probably just wanted to show him something.

The two had taken a liking to each other soon after David transferred in. Naturally, their lack of friends was the bases of their unofficial friendship. Whenever David was eating lunch by himself or didn't have anyone to partner up with in group projects, the peculiar man would appear almost instantly. Sometimes David would get roped into helping clear gutters. Others, the principal would show off whatever it was that had recently caught his attention, which was usually something extremely unnecessary and extremely expensive.

I glanced over at Isaac, who lay on his desk like a sad puppy. The corner of my mouth curved upwards ever so slightly. He really just wanted to go with me huh? I suppose it made up for some of his stupidity. I drummed my fingers against my desk, considering the options.

Annoyed with my thoughts, I glared at the girl next to me. "Coin."

The frightened figure hurriedly reached into her pocket, having learnt long ago not to question my requests. She handed me the piece of currency and returned to her work, not wanting to prompt any more trouble.

I rolled my eyes and flipped the coin high into the air. A small ring echoed from the object as it spun evenly around its axis, landing in my open palm a moment later. I flipped it over onto the back of my other hand and looked at the result.

A sigh escaped me. Whatever.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Key**

* * *

Donut.

I took another bite of the cinnamon flavoured treat. The familiar flavour made me crave more. Amber and Isaac watched my progress with predator's eyes. I held my lunch a little closer.

"Where did she even get that?" David asked from across the table.

We sat outside, where hardly anybody ventured anymore. The cold made my fingers numb, which made eating all the more difficult. The table we had secured stood in the disjointed shadow of a large tree, one that probably provided shade and shelter from the other three seasons, but not this one. Although with how morbidly overcast the sky was, it didn't bother me too much.

"She's got a stash somewhere." Raven replied with a smirk.

My donut stash. They would never find it.

Isaac continued to stare hungrily at the sweet bread. "Ten bucks says it's under her bed."

I froze as the words left his mouth. My eyes closed quickly and I let the image of my room overflow my consciousness. I felt the warp begin to take place, my body bending slightly as I was pulled through the crack and into the void. I squeezed my eyes tighter as I felt the eerie black mist surround me…

Pop.

My vision returned. The small room looked just how I had left it. The queen sized bed sat pressed up against the wall in the corner, neatly made. A single large spider web hung from the ceiling above it, to help Zoe feel more at home. I smiled slightly as the girl came to mind. There was a dresser near the door, which contained all of the clothes Raven had bought me.

It felt so much cosier… Than that dark little room…

I shook the thought from my head and lay down on the floor, reaching underneath the bed frame and retrieving my latest box of sugar coated desserts. The carpet felt soft and warm, compared to where I had been just moments before.

Standing, I looked around, trying to think. If I didn't find a good hiding place, then Isaac and Amber would hunt down and devour them. It took me a few moments, but eventually an idea popped into my head. I walked from the room quietly, softly closing the door behind me. Traversing the short hallway, I gently nudged open David's door and slipped inside.

My eyes flickered to the mattress, and then to the blankets on the floor. That's right… Amber was staying in here… The corner of my lips tugged downwards a little. Ignoring the feeling, I shifted towards the pile of miscellaneous items that lay in the corner of the room. I didn't recognise most of them, and it was hard to resist the temptation of finding their uses.

My fingers gently lifted an oddly shaped case from its position on the floor, and placed it off to the side. A few more objects were shifted, until the smooth polished surface of the egg appeared. The colours that danced within its gem like skin were enchanting. My interest was piqued slightly as I examined it. If I hadn't know better, I might have thought it a little larger than it was before…

I shrugged and sat the box of donuts next to it, beginning to restack the pile on top of my two most precious possessions.

Creak.

My head swivelled to look over my shoulder. I studied the room, but there was nobody there… I turned back to the task at hand, dismissing the noise for something outside. I pilled the objects delicately, making sure the items underneath wouldn't be squished by their weight.

I was proud of this hiding spot. It was probably the safest place to keep things. After all, David kept things safe.

Especially her…

I let out a frustrated groan. Arghhh, she made me so mad! I've known him the longest, I should be the closest to him! But that wasn't what annoyed me the most. What annoyed me most was how she always pushed him away, even when he was just trying to help.

Realising what I was thinking about, I mentally kicked myself. It's none of my business…

Creak.

My gaze snapped to the door. That didn't come from outside. It was only then that I realised how alone I was in the otherwise empty building. I felt the echo of the walls, the echo of unfilled space, devoid of any activity but mine.

I stood slowly, keeping my eyes fixated on the small portion of hallway I could see.

Creak.

My eyes flickered back to the pile behind me, returning forwards a split second afterwards.

Dull purple eyes stared back at me.

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

Key announced her return with a sudden pop, stumbling on the ground a few meters away.

Raven spoke almost instantly. "What did I tell you about teleporting at…" Her sentence trailed off as we all noticed the growing trail of blood that ran from a noticeable cut on her thigh.

The Ender Dragon egg was clasped tight to her chest.

We were all standing in seconds. Raven gripped her tomahawks tightly, dropping into a ready stance. Isaac reached into his jacket, returning with a stick of dynamite between each finger. Zoe pulled a small knife from underneath her skirt, holding it reversed in her fist.

The Endergirl limped over to us. She lost her footing slightly, and I rushed forward to catch her. She looked up at me, her eyes a little hazy. "A haunting…" She mumbled.

A haunting? I looked over to Raven, who stood nearby. She didn't turn, but instead kept her eyes fixed forwards while she spoke. "A haunting, is the name for a group of Endermen."

I swallowed. "And how many is that, usually."

The redhead shrugged. "More than two."

My gaze returned to the girl in my arms, who stared up at me with that familiar canvas of magnificent purple. "Key, as soon as they get here, I need you to go back to the house."

Her eyes reflected terror. "N- No, I-"

"Amber and I need our weapons. If you don't get them for us, we won't stand a chance."

"You have no faith in us, do you?" Isaac asked, a flame dancing across his fingertips.

I stared at her. The last thing I wanted was to put her in danger, but without our weapons… We were practically useless. She pleaded with me for a moment, almost to the point where I was ready to give in. But all at once, her gaze shied away, as if ashamed.

"I'l- I'll get them."

A small smile escaped me as I admired her courage. I placed a hand on her head, causing her to look up to me once more. "That's my girl."

I didn't have time to appreciate her blush, as a chorus of pops ricocheted around us. One after the other, a total of five forms appeared. And to make matters worse, they were all humanoid, and all reeked of death. Their bottomless gazes locked onto us in a split second, quickly identifying the threat we posed. Interestingly enough, only four of them held the menacing blades of scythes. The one that stood before their group, perhaps the leader, wielded a chipped broad sword.

It only took Key a moment to recover from the appearance, and pushed the Ender Dragon egg into my arms, quickly teleporting away. A strange sensation flooded my nerves as my skin grasped at the foreign sphere. It was fleeting, and almost unnoticeable, but it was as if something shifted from within it. I looked down at the glistening object. The strange mosaic of purple reminded me of the Endergirl's eyes.

My gaze coiled back to the hybrids before us. It would seem that they weren't keeping to the shadows any longer. This attack was in broad daylight… It wouldn't be long before someone noticed.

"We need to get them away from the school." I spoke, unmoving.

A moment passed as the group considered my words.

Raven backed away from her post slowly, turning to run after a moment. "I've got a plan." She was quickly lost from view.

I tried to ignore her departure, trusting her instincts and the abilities of the two who remained armed. Whatever it was, she better hurry up.

I tensed as the leader took a step forwards. He seemed to stare straight through me as he spoke. "Give us the egg." His voice was ragged and uneven, adding another layer to the unease he imposed.

"Why?"

It was a good question. Why were we even protecting this thing? If we gave it to them, they wouldn't have a reason to chase after us. The overly attractive young man thought for a moment, his brain whirring like a computer.

"A hybrid must be made."

An Ender Dragon hybrid? The terrifying beast mixed with the intelligence and capability of a human… Thoughts of destruction and chaos were all that followed. But not all hybrids turned out like that, right? I glanced at the mobs by my side. Some of them wer-

"The process will not fail a second time." The hybrid leader interrupted, as if reading my thoughts.

"A second time?" They had tried to cast a dragon hybrid before? What happened to it? They had failed, but what did they mean by that? A single memory crossed my mind. Key, when we first met… "So the first time you tried, the hybrid had a human soul." I stated.

"She was inferior."

"She? What was her name? What did she call herself!?"

My mind flashed back to when the Endergirl had made her introduction. _'Key. Is what I'd like to be called… But my birth name is An-' _I had interrupted her after that… But she said something, she said something more. What was it? My thoughts went into overdrive.

The Hybrid tilted his head. "The subject called herself," An age ticked past in the brief moment that separated his words. "Key."

_'__My sister…'_

She had taken on her sister's name. And her sister… Was the first Ender Dragon hybrid.

I tightened my grip around the egg, hatred seeping into my gaze. "You'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands."

* * *

**Author Note:**

Hehe, he, hehe... FINALLY, SOME PLOT PROGRESSION.

Jess suggested a more epic ending here, but for the life of me I couldn't think of anything. So I guess I'll have to make up for it in the next chapter. Speaking of the next chapter... I need a song. Tell me your favorites, I'll listen to all of them. It needs to be that kind of mix that makes you feel like doing a triple gainer (Super stylish backflip) off of a freight train. Most agreed on track gets chosen... Regardless of what it is... Which is probably a terrible idea.

Reviews!

portalportalrobot59: I will, my friend. And thanks for sticking up for me! Even if I was... Maybe a little bit... Procrastinating. KEY FOR PRESIDENT. :D  
WiseguyJaco: Your timing is impeccable. I was just about to click _Next Episode _on Naruto when I got your review. Needless to say it scared the shit out of me.  
Prometheus: Lemons!  
Staticore: Haha, thanks! I'm glad that it's captured your interest. :)  
Awesome Story: Woah, two different endings? One harem, one normal? It's a brilliant idea! But, I think I might be able to satisfy everyone with something else... Something that might even be, _better_, than a harem. Hahaha, thanks for all the support. :) Although sadly, it's not summer here.  
Whovian803: NOW HOLDS THE RECORD FOR MOST CHAPTER READ IN A DAY. (18)  
Chase1998: Hey, thanks again, you always give great encouragement. I will continue writing A Fool's Conviction, but it is my secondary story. Endergirl comes first and foremost.  
xman8263: I like the way you think, Sir. :P  
Jess: Asshole? Excuse me? Prepare to have paper wasps flicked at you during Maths.  
UncleInTheAttic: Your username is without a doubt, one of my favorites. Thanks for all the support. :)  
Guest S: Hearing that it's helping others is the best type of encouragement ever. And I'll let you in on something... Sky is my favorite character. :)  
KingArthur3: That would be terrifying. But absolutely hilarious at the same time. I may seriously consider it.  
Techhy: UPDATE FUN WITH BLOCKS. :P

Holy shit, that's a lot. Well, I should probably get around to my Media assignment. It was due on Monday... Tomorrow is Friday... BUT ENDERGIRL COMES FIRST! Oh and remember or mission? To get on the first page in order of favorites? Well we were on the third page. WE ARE NOW ON THE SECOND! Keep it up! Oh and check out my YouTube channel to see what I was doing whilst procrastinating.

Next time then. Ciao.

\- Sylent


	20. Another one bites the dust

**Author Note:**

Holy crap that took a while. I'm gonna be honest, I've been wanting to write this scene since chapter... Eleven? I wanted to get it perfect, which is the excuse I was going to give you for taking so long, but really... I just got distracted watching anime and making games. :D

Erm... I wanted to say something important here, but I've gone and forgotten what it was... Oh well, on another note, thanks for all the music! You guys sent in a heap of titles through both reviews and private messages. I went through and listened to all of them, but I felt like only one could really pull it off... A classic I suppose. I've actually selected one or two of said songs for use later on, so hopefully, we'll get to see them eventually.

AND HOLY SHIT MY FRIENDS THOUGHT OF THE _**BEST**_ PLOT TWIST. Still don't know if it'll get used, but if it does, you guys will flip shit. Guaranteed.

Right, let's get to it. Raven's starting out.

* * *

**"Another one bites the dust."**

I didn't have much time.

The wandering students and buildings passed by in a blur as I ran through the campus. Five hybrids at once? We could barely manage a group of high school students, let alone a team of fully fledged killing machines.

I pushed myself harder, trying to convert my nervous energy into speed. Narrowly avoiding a head-on collision with a group of nerds, I skidded around the next corner, taking off as soon as I regained control.

It felt like an age before I flung open the double doors that guarded the general administration. The secretary looked up in surprise, shouting after me as I rushed down the hall. With the amount of detentions and behavioural meetings on my record, I knew the place well.

Racing down the narrow corridors, I followed the labyrinth of offices and empty rooms until I finally stumbled upon my destination.

The small space was littered with papers, an ornamental wooden desk displaying the majority of them, as well as a small plaque.

_Headmaster_

Although the title came off as rather grand, the snoozing form that lay behind the desk was somewhat lacking in comparison. _Honestly, _he had a school to run and here he was taking a nap. Mind you, I probably wasn't the right person to be lecturing him… My eyes quickly fixed themselves on my goal.

A jumble of keys lay crowded around a single key chain, lazily thrown onto his desk. And one of those keys, flashed a Porsche logo.

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

"You'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands."

Amber, Zoe and Isaac seemed a little taken aback by my words. Our enemies only smirked, and started forwards.

The skeleton that stood next to me searched my eyes for reason, and quickly found it. She still seemed a little confused, but the importance of protecting the egg was clear enough. Her gaze asked a dozen questions, promising to speak them later. I gave a small smile, and returned my attention to the threats which crept towards us.

Something was ticking at the back of my mind… I hurried to grasp a hold of the fleeting revelation. I watched the figures closely. They were different from their predecessors… The other possessed hybrids always went with a straightforward approach, charging with a series of somewhat predictable teleports. But these few…

Realisation hit me as the group began to split ever so slightly. They were surrounding us. But why didn't they just teleport into position? My mind coiled around the idea.

I took a step backwards. Noticing, my companions mirrored me. The reapers countered with a step forwards. We took a step back. They stepped forwards. We stepped back. Forwards. Back. Forwards. Back. Forwards...

"Leg it." I spoke, ending the standoff.

The four of us turned and sprinted in the other direction. A disjointed melody of pops echoed behind us, our footsteps creating a fast-paced rhythm as the chase began. A note, slightly higher in pitch, rang out as Key appeared before us. Although for some reason, she was a few meters in the air. The Endergirl yelped in surprise.

"Amber!" I shouted, tossing the egg to her.

I didn't have time to check if she caught it, instead rushing forwards as fast as my legs would take me. Extending my arms, I caught the purple haired girl moments before she smacked into the solid concrete below. I almost stumbled from the unexpected weight of the weapons she clutched in her arms. Luckily, I managed to regain my footing, and pushed onwards.

"What was that?" I asked, slightly concerned.

For once the Endergirl looked annoyed. "I- I can't teleport properly when I'm scared!"

I grinned at her blatant honesty.

"I always like it, when the pray runs." A groaning voice spoke over our shoulders.

"We're not running, it's a tactical retreat!" Isaac shouted back.

Prey…

They weren't here to kill us… They were here to _hunt _us. A pack of wolves works as a team to surround and trap their victim, sizing up their target before dashing in, and giving chase. But why chase us when they can simply teleport into our path? The leader's words made their motives transparent.

They were _playing_ with their _food._

We were close now, the almost empty carpark rushing towards us. If we could just make it out of the gates…

The shrill scream of rubber against road made me flinch. The powerful engine of a Porsche 918 Spyder roared across the vacant spaces at speed, an endless stream of smoke spinning from the screeching tyres. The vehicle drifted towards us, coming to a sudden stop only meters away.

I paused, wary and somewhat amazed at the anonymous driver's skill. The sleek silver roof folded, and began sliding backwards, leaving the convertible open roofed in a matter of seconds. And in the driver's seat, sat a relaxed looking redhead.

"Get in."

She didn't have to say it twice. Trying to ignore the question of how she had gotten the keys, I hurriedly placed Key in the passenger's side, Zoe taking a spot on her lap soon after. Isaac slid onto the hood, grabbing hold of the windshield. Amber and I took up position on the back, propping ourselves between the spoiler and the headrests. Six people in a two man car?

Why the fuck not?

The beast of a vehicle accelerated underneath us, throwing up smoke before finally gaining traction. The first jolt of movement almost sent me flying off then and there, but somehow I managed to hold on. Raven threw us forwards, stamping down on the accelerator. I stared back at the perusing forms as we sped through the carpark, soon drifting out of the gates and onto the narrow road outside.

They seemed to lose their relaxed attitude, their pace picking up as they sprinted after us.

"Key, weapons!" I shouted over the wind that rushed past us.

The Endergirl fumbled for my blade, soon throwing it towards me. I caught the hilt and readied myself. Amber took her bow, quiver and short sword soon after, fastening the leather straps that held them to her figure. Isaac grinned as his mace was passed over the windscreen.

A car whizzed past us, the occupants staring for the brief moment that we were in view. The woman who was driving twisted her face in shock, while the kids in the back could only look on in awe.

The event seemed to be stuck on a loop as Raven threw the wheel in all directions, ducking into the oncoming lane and narrowly avoiding a head-on collision before she somehow managed to overtake the law abiding minivan in front of us.

But instead of gaining distance, the thunder of the engine did nothing to stop the advancements of our stalkers. The unyielding drum of pops rebounded the haunting between traffic, their movements completely unpredictable, damn near impossible to trace.

A hybrid appeared directly behind us, swinging its scythe in a gigantic arc towards my head. I parried the blow, bringing my sword up and letting metal ring against metal. A nerve-wracking pop announced that the attacker was gone almost immediately after.

Unexpectedly, Raven flung the car sideways, sending me sliding into Amber. She let go a yelp of surprise as we tumbled dangerously across the polished surface. It was a perilous few moments as we teetered on the edge, the worn black tarmac flying passed beneath us. Suddenly, the fuel injected monster balanced out, sending us in the opposite direction. Amber was slammed into me by the centripetal force, causing the inevitable use of my total strength just to prevent a reoccurrence of the stunt.

I looked over my shoulder, trying to figure out what Raven was doing. My eyes widened as the redhead slammed the gearstick upwards, pushing us into an entrance lane.

We were getting on the highway.

Only a second passed before we converged on the seemingly endless strip of concrete. The trucks and family cars that littered the road created a labyrinth of openings and possibilities. Our driver kicked the engine up a notch.

I returned my attention to the rear, just barely managing to block another razor-sharp sweep. The darting group of killers somehow clung to our movements, mirroring us whilst teleporting atop of vehicles and bounding across the artificial ground.

"They're gaining on us!" I yelled over the gale-force winds.

Amber took her bow in hand, crouching precariously. "Hold onto me!" She yelled in response.

Foreseeing her motives, I swung my sword behind me, lodging it between the two seats. Key cast me a worried expression, obviously still scared. Trying not to think about it too much, I placed a hand on each of the skeleton's thighs, holding her in place while she rose to her feet. She reached over her shoulder and notched an arrow in one fluid movement. The fletching brushed against her cheekbone as she drew the string backwards.

And now it was a waiting game.

A few button presses from the driver's seat sent the radio to full volume. A split second of static blared from the speakers before the fast paced beat of music took its place. I could only smirk as the shrill falsetto of Queen flew from the subwoofer.

"-F the doorway the bullets rip, to the sound of the beat." The rhythm started to become synonymous with the thumping wind.

A light patter of footsteps added to the symphony. Amber snapped towards the noise which was… Above us?

A lone figure ran across the semi-trailer adjacent, and it was mere moments before he leapt into the air, his matte black scythe swinging far above his head.

"Another one bites the dust."

A solid thwack proceeded the arrow that impaled itself in his chest, packed with enough force that he hung suspended in mid-air for a moment, before falling uselessly to the worn asphalt below.

The ear-splitting shriek of the remaining four Endermen overpowered the next set of lyrics, making me slam my hands over my ears. Amber wobbled as her support disappeared. I quickly held her once more, kicking myself for letting go in the first place.

With a renewed ferocity, a quake of pops lead us to be surrounded on all sides. Their usually emotionless faces hung wide open, spitting the very essence of terror and anguish. But their figures were blurred, as if moving at incomprehensible speed. Surely they couldn't be moving this fast, not even Zoe could do that.

It was then that I noticed the dull purple mist that flowed from each of them. They weren't running… They were _teleporting. _Teleporting their limbs forward individually, just to increase their movement speed. It must have been placing a momentous strain on their bodies, based on the little I knew of warping. Just one trip was enough to knock me out for a few ours, how they could manage it I-

The hybrid trailing us sprung forwards, swinging its blade sideways with exceptional speed. I pulled Amber down, only just managing to save her from being sliced in two. She fell onto me, letting me cushion her fall before finding a handhold and rolling off. Her silver eyes shot me the _'I told you to stop doing that.' _look.

Smirking, I turned to grasp the hilt of my sword once more. In the brief few seconds my attention was elsewhere, I saw Isaac slam his studded mace into the slackened jaw of his foe.

While Zoe fiddled with the volume controls. "-Do you think I'm going to get along, without you when you're gone?"

Another figure rammed into the passenger side, poising before a frightened Endergirl. I bounded upwards, taking a high-staked stride towards the threat and kicking him hard in the face. His head flicked sideways, before returning with a hiss. I struggled to hold onto my balance as I teetered unevenly on a single foot, the other hanging out over the road.

"You took me for everything that I had, and kicked me out on my own!"

The tell-tale sound of metal piercing air made me cringe as a gunmetal scythe was swung my way. I flung myself upwards, trying to gain as much height as possible whilst limited to only one leg for propulsion. The blade whistled passed underneath me, tearing a large string of paint from the stolen vehicle. Time seemed to slow as we all shuddered at the ungodly screech of an injured car.

I winced and hoisted my long sword, crossing it downwards in one swift movement. "Don't scratch the paint!"

The purple clad figure shrieked in pain before falling and tumbling, soon lost in the distance.

"Are you happy, are you satisfied? How long can you stand the heat?" The radio blared.

By my count, that was four down. Which left… I whipped my gaze around us, searching for the remaining pursuer. But he was nowhere to be seen. Had he given up?

"Out of the doorway the bullets rip, to the sound of the beat."

My eyes snapped to the port side as a dull pop echoed through the wind. I could do nothing but watch in horror as a chipped and neglected sword sailed through the air in a blur. A small squelch of noise escaped as the blade pierced unprotected flesh. At first, nothing happened. But by the time the weapon recoiled, and struck forwards once more…

We swerved, and the wheels beneath us buckled.

In a single instance, the car pivoted sideways, throwing up smoke and sparks as it skidded at an unnatural angle. And then all at once, something caught, throwing the hunk of metal skywards. The whole thing shredded like tinfoil, throwing scraps of metal in each and every direction as the entire machine spun through the air.

"Another one bites the dust."

There were only two things that my mind could comprehend. One, the struggle to hold onto my sword became too much, and it was lost from my grasp within moments. Two… I stretched out my hand towards Amber as we were catapulted forwards. It was one of the rare moments in which fear could be seen in her eyes. Her arm was extended towards mine, trying to reach me as hard as I was trying to reach her.

Everything fell silent in that moment, as we drifted through the air, focused on only one thing. Nothing else mattered but grabbing hold of one another. If we could just…

All at once the serenity was lost as time slammed back into existence. My fingers brushed against hers as we plummeted towards the ground, but the warmth of her skin was lost in the split second it took for the ground to snap at me. My eyes locked themselves closed, leaving my other senses overwhelmed by unbearable noise and pain.

My skin was torn across the rough concrete, my bones creaked and snapped, a million tiny stones pulled at the very fibres of my body. Agonising pain overpowered me as I curled into a ball and slid across the pavement, wearing my flesh down as the surface removed it piece by piece. I flipped and rolled and tumbled for what seemed an eternity, the screech of metal raining down upon my surroundings.

I heard a scream of pain that could only be Amber, something that only added to my torture. I should have been worried about myself, but the only thought that rebounded through my head was how badly I had fucked up. Something heavy slammed into someone, leading to a crack and a groan. Isaac. My mind couldn't focus enough to even consider what had happened to Zoe and Key. I yelped as something inside of me snapped, sending a new wave of agony through my nerves.

Finally, after what seemed an age, my tattered body rolled to a stop. My muscles were stiff, and refused to obey my commands. I lay curled on the ground, clutching my knees to my chest and trying to shield my head within my arms. The first quake of shivers ran through me, and before long my entire body convulsed with them.

Amber.

I forced my eyes open. A blur of colours streamed inwards, more vibrant than any I had seen before. I lay there, waiting for them to focus. Panic awakened within me as nothing changed. I waited for what seemed like hours, unable to discern anything but shapes and colours. I shifted, and all at once everything fell back into place. Excruciating pain shot through me, kicking my vision back into gear and forcing a cracked groan from my throat.

I uncoiled slightly, my body complaining with every movement. I looked down, trying to figure out why. My clothes were shredded. Underneath, skin rubbed raw, speckled with blood. I watched in horror as the crimson substance began to flow from each cut and graze, pouring downwards in small streams. The ebbing complaint of my left arm and side told me that the bones beneath were badly broken. My examination was cut short as blood flowed into my eye.

Ever so carefully, I touched my grazed fingertips to my forehead, wincing at the result. A blow to the head… I could be concussed, or worse.

Looking around, I soon wished I hadn't.

The once luxurious Porsche was almost unrecognisable, discarded on the side of the tarmac like mechanic roadkill. And after that, a series of small sedans, four wheeled drives and other vehicles littered the highway. Some of them turned on their sides, others, rammed into the back of the ones in front.

I let go a sigh of relief as the passengers began to hall themselves from the wreckages, unharmed for the most part. My brain ticked as my view pivoted.

A girl with flowing white hair lay motionless a few meters away, her back turned to me.

I tried to push myself up, but my arm buckled, returning me down once more. I groaned and rolled to my other side, using my uninjured arm to slowly rise to my feet. I teetered dangerously as my head swam and threatened to send me spiralling back to the ground. But after a moment, the feeling faded, and I took a first unsteady step.

Once I found my legs unhindered, I moved as fast as they would take me towards her. Kneeling down, I paused. She looked fine, apart from the odd cut and graze. But I couldn't see her face… What if… I needed to make sure she was okay. But a small part of me, didn't want to risk it.

Slowly, I placed a hand on her shoulder, gently rolling the figure onto her back. Her head lulled towards me, her eyes closed off from the world. That familiar scar, now had a friend. A small nick of blood just above her jawline. It wasn't very wide, but it was deep.

I brushed the hair from her face, a pit of despair beginning to awaken within me. "A- Amber?"

She didn't move.

I waited for her to say something, to snap out of it with some sarcastic comment, laugh at the way my eyes were beginning to water. But her lips remained motionless. My head fell against her neck, trying to comprehend what was happening. This wasn't worth it. She was worth so much more than what we were protecting. That damn egg…

Why couldn't I save her, like I had all the other times? My mind flashed back to when we first met. She was injured, being chased by the mobs of Minecraft. It was pure luck that we survived that night, but I would never once regret running out into the dark for her…

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, but I held them back. I could practically hear her making fun of me over the gentle noise of her breathing. She wouldn't want me to cr-

Wait.

Hold up.

Breathing?

I listened closer. There was no doubt. The faint rise and fall of her chest, the way she puffed out a little extra air at the end of each exhale… I raised my head to look at the girl. Her eyes were still closed, but she was alive. Was she… Sleeping?

A little sceptical, I raised my hand, and flicked her forehead. She flinched, and scowled through closed eyelids, soon relaxing once more. A little pissed, I did it again, harder.

The silver irises revealed themselves, staring up at me in mock annoyance. "Can you not?" Her gaze softened as she noticed the tears that I could no longer prevent from rolling down my cheeks. She smiled caringly. "Sorry."

Ignoring the pain, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug. "You should be."

I felt her squirm uncomfortably within my grasp, but I didn't let go. I wasn't letting her go…

"David," She gasped. "You're strangling me."

I backed off hurriedly, not wanting to put her through any more pain. She looked at me, her eyes hovering over my injuries, widening slightly. I could only watch as she traced each and every wound, her expression becoming more and more worried. It could have been worse… Up until a couple of seconds ago, it was _so _much worse…

"Where are the others?"

Her question prompted another bout of concern as I searched for the rest of our group. My eyes quickly picked out a flicker of red, over by the car. I stood awkwardly, still nursing my broken arm. I held out my good hand to the skeleton. "Come on."

She smiled, and began propping herself up, but soon fell back down with a small hiss. Her eyes shied away from mine as she remained on the ground.

"What's wrong?" I asked, puzzled.

Her voice came out in a type of reluctant annoyance. "I think my leg's broken."

I looked down at the specified limb, studying it. Now that I looked closely, it was bent a little out of shape. I flinched slightly as I realised she hadn't gotten away scot free. I knelt down once more, and wrapped my arm around her.

She seemed a little surprised. "Just leave me, I'm not going anywhere."

"Not happening." I replied adamantly.

She sighed, and held onto my waist. "You're such a control freak."

Eventually, with a bit of struggle, we made it to our feet and started towards the wreck of a car. A nervous silence enveloped us as we approached. It was obvious that we were both fearing the worst. The flicker of red lay trapped beneath a bent car door, which seemed to be shifting. As we neared, the chunk of metal was pushed to the side, revealing two figures.

Isaac sat propped against the wreck, a large and ragged dint stamped into the metal where he must have landed. His arm was horribly broken, bruises and cuts already beginning to appear. My eyes quickly made the connection between the crimson limb and the warped car door that had been atop of them. His bright green eyes looked down at the red-haired girl in his arms.

Unlike Isaac, her skin was for the most part untouched. There were no grazes or cuts from the road. It was almost unnatural, but by the way Isaac was beat up, it was clear enough how she had fared so well… Apart of course, from the two large sword gashes that were engraved in her stomach.

Her white shirt was slowly becoming a sopping red. The image of the chipped blade plunging into her was still fresh in my mind, but that didn't make it any easier to believe. My gaze flickered back to Isaac, who stared down at her, unwavering.

It was only now that it occurred to me how much he cared for her. Maybe he didn't even know it himself, but the look in his eye wasn't one of anxiety, or worry. It was sorrow, and faith, two emotions that clashed so viciously, but meant so much more.

She began to shift slightly, but Isaac held her in place. Her movements ceased as she accepted the confinement within his arms. He held her a little closer, resting his chin lightly atop of her head.

Amber and I could only watch, nothing we could do to help…

Every muscle in my body stiffened as the same demonic voice echoed through the air. "She's going to die."

I remained motionless, while Amber tried to peer over her shoulder in my grasp. Slowly, I began lowering the skeleton towards the ground.

She grabbed onto me, trying to stop her descent. "What are you doing?" Her voice came out slightly panicked.

"Stay here." I replied, pushing through her efforts and placing her on the asphalt.

Her hand held tightly onto my wrist. "No! I can figh-"

"But you can't!" I yelled at her, rage sinking into my voice. I stood, tearing my hand from her grasp. "You can't even walk! So for once just listen to me, and stay here."

The small tinge of fear that reminted within her eyes was enough to make me regret saying anything at all. That small fragment of terror, which I had never seen from her before… And yet, it seemed as if the expression wasn't foreign at all. I caught a glimpse of something within her eyes, something that didn't make any sense… Something, _terrible_…

I tore my gaze away. Now wasn't the time.

As I turned, the lone figure revealed himself to me. A painfully attractive face and features, combed back purple hair, and dead magenta eyes. The woefully mistreated blade in his hands did nothing to soften his menace.

His cocky smile dropped. "You killed my brothers."

I caught sight of my stained steel sword, which lay dormant on the ground between us, almost blending in with the surface of the road. My focused stare rose back to the single remaining hybrid. The entirety of my anger poured into the words as I spat them from my lips.

"You're next."

The standoff began as we starred each other down, looking for the will behind one another's motives. And as the first speck of winter snow fell to the ground, we took off at a sprint.

I pushed myself faster than I thought I could ever go. He pounced forwards with a series of pops and bounds. In moments I had scrapped my knuckles across the asphalt as I took up my sword. His blade whistled through the air. And a split second later…

Blood, sprayed across the tarmac.

* * *

**Author Note:**

...

Reviews! (In order of appearance, most recent to first.)

Guest: Yes, yes. :P  
The Last Shadow Dragon: Hahaha, wow. That has got to be some of the best encouragement of all time. Thanks so much. I'm really happy that you think so, and that you enjoy Endergirl as much as I do. :)  
TMGermany: Can a harem even happen if we kill off all the characters!? Hahahahaha, thanks for the vote. I'll try and get some more interaction between David, Key and Zoe as you said.  
EliseFleur: Woah, a brilliant author likes my work! I'm glad you like it, and your vote has been taken into account. :D Furthermore, how could I not enjoy World Exchange? In fact... \/  
anoostheanon: Awesome. Vote noted.  
Guest: My friend, you make a very, _very, _good point... You're going to love what I've got in mind.  
fukface: Now that is an unfortunate username if ever I've seen one. Shall do. :D  
SQwriter: I've been rethinking the lemon idea, and I think I'd rather do it myself, just so I can get it _exactly _how I want it. But thanks for the love. :)  
UncleInTheAttic: Hahaha, awesome! There's already one person who will buy all my books! Re-read the story? Probably not a bad idea... I might have to do that too. P.S. Don't kill our reviewers. :P  
Guest S: Monster-Skillet has made its into one of my playlists, so I thank you. And cliffhangers are the best! Hehehe, hehe. I'll probably cover Sky again within the next two chapters.  
LazyNeko: Ayyyy, you're the best! Honestly, thank you so much for the support. Did I level up in the cliffhanger skill?  
Guest: Mission Complete; Serious ass-kickery. :D  
Awesomedragon02: Harem? Noted.  
Pale1357: Another harem vote? Noted. Chapter nineteen and chapter nine are the same? Whaaaaat? Noooooo... It's not like I'm running out of ideas... Don't be ridiculous! *Twitch*  
Prometheus: Hahaha, sorry my friend, the lemons will have to wait. To be honest, I'm going to put them in at the right time. I don't want to rush to them and then ruin the romance between characters. Although... There is a certain event in most dating sims known as the 'lucky pervert', if you get my drift.  
WiseguyJaco: No. :D  
eharding232: Actually quite liked it. Thanks.  
Shine'ShiningForceDX: Yay, support! Thank you. :) Your vote has been noted. As for OCs, we're pretty full up at the moment, but maybe later on...  
JustAnOrdinaryWriter: Cheers, you always give good encouragement. And keep working on A New Kind of Game.  
Chase1998: FIRST PERSON TO CHECK OUT MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL... I presume it was you anyway. It's gonna be hella awkward if it wasn't... And I'm kind of, maybe, not really, getting around to A Fool's Conviction.  
VoidWalker45: Sorry, I kind of disappeared like I said I might. I'll check in again soon. But thanks for the review again. :)  
Techhy: #Ravac... I love it. Although, by the looks of it, it might just be #Ac. Heheheh, I'm a horrible person. IF YOU HAVE IDEAS, THEN WRITE. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOUR NEXT CHAPTER. IT'S KILLING ME MENTALLY.

For fucks sake guys. I mean I love your reviews, but this is starting to become overwhelming.

... Needless to say I'm joking. MOAR REVIEWS. BRING IT. I WILL REPLY TO THEM ALL. Also guests, can you _please _change your name from 'Guest' to something else? Otherwise it just gets confusing...

Furthermore, if you're looking for something to read, I can highly recommend you an author under the name of EliseFleur. She doesn't write Minecraft fan fiction as far as I know, but her stories are still insanely interesting, and quite enjoyable. So go ahead and check out her story, World Exchange.

And after all of that, I have to go cook dinner. I'm thinking butter chicken, rice, maybe some green beans? ... I also realize that I may or may not have forgotten to defrost the chicken... So maybe, instant Ramen?

I bid you goodnight, ladies and gentlemen.

\- Sylent


	21. Were you worried?

**Author Note:**

Alright. It's been over a month. And you guys have been freaking the fuck out. Which is _totally _understandable. But, reserve judgement until reading this brilliantly formulated explanation.

I. Am. In. A... Relationship. :O

How the fuck it happened, I have no idea. But somehow, I've found someone I like, and they _actually _like me _back_. *GASP* Anyway... Uh, that was part one. Part two, I've been traveling a lot. From the Hunter Valley to the Solomon Islands and everywhere in between, I've gotten around and had some adventures, which was a nice break from my study... Not that I don't love my study. But, I've seen a lot, and gathered a lot of inspiration. I've done research for a novel I'm planning, and I will continue to do so until I feel I'm ready to type of the first sentence. Leading on from that, I've renewed my interest in reading, and I'm starting to pick up techniques from other authors. I _need _to improve my skills if this best-selling idea is going to go anywhere.

And those are the primary reasons this chapter has taken sooooo long. Other reasons include anime and Minecraft, but we'll ignore those and pretend I wasn't wasting any time at all. :D

ALSO MINEKING57 DISTRACTED ME FOR THE LAST HALF HOUR WITH HIS SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION IN THE REVIEWS. I read his story... Hehe, sorry. It's interesting, by the way...

Hey, thanks to Chase1998, Prometheus, Pale1357 and OpticSniper2K, who all tried to check up on me and make sure everything is okay. I couldn't reply until a few minutes ago, due to just getting off the plane and in the door, but I just want to personally thank all of you. Oh, and again, thanks portalportalrobot59 for standing up for me in the reviews. :P

Now, shall we find out who's dead?

* * *

**Were you worried?**

It was warm.

Which was unusual, considering the time of year. I felt a type of emptiness within me. Not a longing emptiness or an emptiness that ought to be filled… Just a kind of, peaceful, emptiness.

A series of disjointed memories came rushing into my head like a tropical storm, quick and unforgiving. I jolted and snapped my eyes open.

A small laugh escaped from behind me. "Calm down."

I tried to turn my head, but a stab of pain suggested it was a bad idea. I groaned as my muscles began to throb and twist, as if my injuries were only just being inflicted. "W- What happened?" My voice was a little cracked and came out in a rasp

The mystery speaker spoke once more. "If you've forgotten me, I'll kill you."

The phrase sounded familiar… But for the life of me, I couldn't place it. I looked around the almost too white room. It took me a few seconds to realise it was all sideways, with the floor being on my right and the roof on my left. The slightly comfortable mat beneath me seemed an awful long way from the ground, but maybe it was just because I didn't want to fall.

I tried to avoid asking who she was, and instead went with something safer. "Where are we?"

"They said it was a hospital, I think. We didn't really have much choice…"

The hospital… Why were w- It was as if my brain simply snapped together. Like two pieces of Lego forming that satisfying click. We were being chased, we crashed… "Amber…" I spoke slowly, finally realising who lay behind me.

A moment passed before I felt her shift a little closer, nuzzling her head against the back of my neck. I noticed now that the comforting warmth which surrounded me, radiated from her. I let myself relax slightly, putting the torrential downfall of thoughts on hold for the moment. The familiar tug of her healing padded at my wounds, nulling the pain ever so faintly.

"Idiot." She mumbled.

It was only a few moments later that the sideways door was pushed inwards. A tired looking man strode through it, a white doctors coat hanging from his shoulders which displayed the occasional speck of blood. He gave me an amused, yet exhausted, glance. "How're you feeling?"

Caught a little off guard, my response was unarguably inappropriate, considering where we were. "Dead."

But he smirked slightly, which seemed to excuse the slip up. "Well, by all means you should be. As soon as they wheeled you in here I thought you were a goner."

I swallowed. "Thanks, for treating me then."

"I only stopped the bleeding and sanitized the wound." He said with a laugh before nodding at the girl behind me. "That's all she would let me do."

I tried to glance back at her, but she only pulled closer, hiding from both our gazes.

The doctor continued. "I don't believe in miracles… But I can't honestly say that I know how you're still breathing." When I offered no explanation, he spoke once more before turning to leave the room. "The police will want to talk to you as soon as possible, and there's a very agitated principal pacing in the lobby."

"What happened to our friends?" I asked abruptly, stopping him halfway out the door.

His gaze hesitated on the well-maintained floor. But when he looked up, only a weary smile adjourned his face. And without another word, he started forward again, walking out the door.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Sky**

* * *

The bleak cover of darkness tugged against the evening sky.

How poetic. One could simply say it was nearing dusk. But I suppose its human nature to prolong the inevitable, even if it is just a full stop. The subtle glint of sunset cast a golden highlight to each roof, throwing shadows that seemed far too large for the structures they clung to.

I continued walking, my cigarette hanging from my lips, almost depleted. The school was mostly deserted at this time, with only the occasional groundsman passing by in mock patrol. My boots made no noise as they carried me across the pathway. My destination loomed in the distance, trying to stand proudly, despite seeming so alone.

The old gym sat at the edge of the campus like a defeated giant, slain and forgotten. It was a large structure, more of a shed really. They used to be able to fit the whole student body inside, until they deemed it unsafe. During an assembly, part of the roof had collapsed. Nobody was hurt, but the board couldn't be bothered to foot the bill. So they simply abandoned it, brushed it aside as if it had never existed in the first place.

Continuing down the overgrown path, I soon reached the cracked glass doors, closer signs plastered across their face. The pair creaked inwards as I pushed them open, revealing the dusty darkness that lay beyond. My eyes adjusted quickly, soon defining objects and edges. I flicked a selection of switches from the mass that lay embedded in the wall adjacent.

Precious few of the overhanging lights still held their charm. They flickered at first, before steadying to cast a dull glow across the echoing space. Patches of darkness were still scattered, creating a type of disjointed mosaic, but it didn't make much of a difference.

Altogether, it was a big, empty space. Nothing but a sheet of dust to provide the creaky wooden floorboards with company. The basketball hoops still hung unsatisfied at either end, and the stage still yearned for talent.

Just another tired old space with another tired old dream.

I traced my usual footsteps across the dust plastered floor, not wanting to disturb its neglected perfection. My path led in a direct line, clinging the wall as it progressed towards the rear of the structure. The door that stood at its end watched my approach expectantly. The key within my pocket wriggled with every movement. I took it, and pushed the worn silver into the lock.

The mechanism clicked, and the cheap door swung inwards revealing a gloomy staircase. Closing and locking the door behind me, I took off my boots and placed them side by side on the first step. My fingertips brushed the familiar switch, and it clicked satisfyingly before illuminating the cramped space. I took a breath before ascending the steep stairwell towards the room above.

It was not dusty here. I always had the same thought when I stepped into the small space. For it was small. Only five point two square meters in total, with a large desk taking up one of them. Although, maybe that was why I kept coming back… I gazed around at the simple possessions. A light sleeping bag, a forest green backpack, a collection of coins, a bottle of water…

And thirteen boxes of forty five calibre ammunition.

I sighed, beginning to undo the first button on my shirt. Aqua blue strands hung down as I watched my progress, which annoyed me. I whipped my hair back, and looked out to my right. A large opening that displayed the entirety of the inside building. It used to be the bio-box, where the school nerds would manage effects and lighting for presentations.

But they didn't need it anymore.

I moved to the second button, and then the third, so on and so forth until I could slide my arms from the sleeves and fold it neatly before placing it on the desk. The plain black bra didn't do me much justice, but then again, I suppose it didn't matter.

I almost smirked at the girlish moment, causing me to remember the now stubby cigarette in the corner of my mouth. I took the bad habit out, and smudged it against the desktop. A few trails of lingering smoke found their way to the roof, lazily, as if less than sober. I retrieved the half depleted box of smokes from the waistband of my skirt, sitting them on the desk gently. My hands moved slowly, as they slipped the fastenings of my lower uniform.

The left side seemed intent to trace down my leg, falling towards the ground. However, the right side caught on something. I felt the same feeling drop in my chest once more. What the feeling was… Well, it couldn't be described. But it was there. Like it was always there.

My fingers moved hesitantly, running down my skin and lifting the skirt, before grazing the cold metal grip. I recoiled slightly, my hand leaping back a few millimetres. But in the end, they curled around the familiar weapon.

I pulled it from the sturdy leather holster, which was strapped tight around my thigh, and held it up in front of me. There was a moment of stillness as my eyes studied each and every curve. The silver metal shone in the rooms yellow light, throwing reflections from every angle. The bulky handle connected to a thick square barrel, which was covered by a sleek slide, ridges cut in its end. The exact weight told of a clip inserted in the handle, seven live bullets filling it to capacity. The trigger guard was broad and simple, protecting a firm mechanic that would end a life with a single flick. And upon the small little outcrop beneath the barrel and before the trigger guard, was engraved a simple lettering.

_Colt 1911_

I stared at the thing with nothingness.

The _saviour, _and the _murderer_.

My lips were taut, not trembling.

The _giver, _and the _taker_.

My eyes were distant, not watering.

The _salvation, _and the _damnation_.

My thoughts were true, not poetic.

The _life, _and the _death_.

I jammed the thing back into its rightful place, and let go without giving myself time to resist. I took a breath. And another. And fell. I lay on the floor in silence, not that I ever did things another way. Silence was peaceful, it gave you time to think… Although, that wasn't always a good thing.

I was _insane_… Not crazy.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Isaac**

* * *

The agitated redhead kicked the vending machine once more.

"It's not going to come out." I repeated with a smirk.

"Would you shut up?" She growled, glaring back at me. "You're the one who made me hungry."

"All I said was that _I _was hungry!"

"And that made me hungry! Now come over here and help."

I rolled my eyes and stood up. My bones still ached and my skin still burned, but as far as she was concerned, I was fine. I wandered over to the machine and stared in at its contents. My head adjusted to give her a sidelong glance, an uncontrollable grin creeping across my face.

The big husky eyes looked up at me in suspicion. "What?"

"I just remembered how short you are."

A fist slammed into my stomach, sending a reel of pain through my body. A loud wince escaped me as a familiar man rounded the corner.

The strained looking doctor gave us a small smile as he approached. "They're awake now, if you want to go in."

Raven took off like a horse. It was a miracle that I managed to catch up to her at all as I gave chase down the hallway, around the corner and into the small room.

"David!" Raven yelled as she rammed into the boy who now sat upright on the bed.

He rocked from the initial impact, but soon recovered, returning what had become a crushing hug. "Raven?"

A familiar skeleton sat next to the two. The look of exhaustion that consumed her was not a foreign one. Rapid healing took its toll on the healer, she should have paced herself… Then again, I suppose I couldn't talk…

We nodded at each other, before my eyes flickered to the other pair, who were still locked in a tight embrace. I saw the white haired girl do the same. My sights returned to spectacle, as I glared at David.

I glared at David. Amber glared at Raven. The humans were oblivious.

"I thought you were dead." David stated as he pulled back, looking over her.

She smirked. "Me? You were worried?"

"Yes!"

The skeleton flinched. I watched her, finding amusement in her discomfort. Eventually she spoke up, her voice bordering hostile. "You guys are acting pretty friendly, considering you hate each other most of the time."

The two froze.

Raven stepped back, stretching. "She's right. That's enough sentiment for today."

"Agreed." David agreed.

"Well," An unfamiliar voice spoke from the open door. "Now that that's all over, I've got a few questions." The chief officer flashed a harsh smile.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Zoe**

* * *

The car jolted, and flipped.

I felt key tense beneath me, our place in the passenger seat quickly lost as we lifted from the vehicle and into the open air. I held onto my friend tightly, hoping, praying she'd find a way out of this. I stared in fright at the others, who fell through the air like ragdolls, specks of blood already joining their descent.

And then they were gone.

A crackle and flash of white burned at my retinas, before I felt the air rushing around us once more. I blinked away the lingering image, my eyes readjusting to the scene around me.

The car jolted, and flipped.

But we weren't in the car… And at the same time, we were… Pop. And then we weren't.

Another pop, the shrieking sensation tearing at my mind as my body was torn in every direction. Every cell, every atom, separated, and reassembled. I screamed, because that was all I could understand. The pain was the only thing there.

And then it was gone.

And it was dark.

And the Endergirl was shivering.

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

"Are you aware of how much damage you inflicted on your little joy ride?"

"Yeah, we took most of it." Raven spat back.

They had moved us to a small conference room near the outer reaches of the medical centre. Two people sat in the chairs adjacent. The chief officer, a solid, moustached man who definitely wasn't in the mood for any bullshit. And a female officer, she looked like someone who belonged behind a computer rather than at a hospital interrogating teenagers.

"You better shut your mouth girl!" He barked. "The driver, once we find out which of you sorry bitches it was, is facing up to three years in juvenile. On your eighteenth birthday, the only present you'll receive is a transfer to an actual _prison_. This shit is serious, so stop fucking around." His vocabulary had long ago fallen into a less savoury tongue. Which was well warranted, after Raven's harassment.

"What are the passengers facing?" I asked, tired.

He seemed to notice my lack of care, but answered anyway. "Assuming the owner of the vehicle doesn't press charges, which he will. You're looking at a major fine, and a permanent scar on your record."

Amber, who sat adjacent, looked towards me in worry. She didn't understand everything, I could see that, but she had the general idea.

_'Don't worry, everything will work out.'_

She gave a small smile.

"Don't smile like that, as far as I'm concerned you're all screwe-" The man was interrupted by a rap on the door.

A younger officer, who looked somewhat _familiar_, stood halfway through the now open entrance. "The owner isn't pressing charges and the case has been dropped. Furthermore, the damage cost has been covered."

The room stood silent for a few moments.

The chief's face contorted. "By who!?"

* * *

A short, badly dressed man, stood waiting on the hospital steps. As we approached, he spun around, anger furrowing his brow. His jaw was clenched, his eyes were sharp, and he stared at us expectantly. The principal, was _not _impressed.

The three of us pointed at the redhead, speaking unanimously. "She did it."

* * *

**Author Note:**

Yaaaaay, everyone's alive! ... Or are they? Muha, Muhahahahaha.

For a moment there I was seriously considering killing someone off. But then I realized that most of the plans wouldn't work without everyone. Yes... The _plans _must be followed _exactly_. Chapter twenty two has been started and is a little over a thousand words. Keeping in mind that our usual is around three thousand, well, I can't make any promises. My estimates of completion are always _way_ off, if you hadn't already noticed... Hehe, sorry. So let's try something new. "THIS CHAPTER WILL TAKE ME THREE WEEKS TO FINISH!" There's no telling what will happen now. :D

HOLY SHIT, WE ARE SO CLOSE TO OUR GOAL. TO GET ON THE FIRST PAGE, IN ORDER OF FAVORITES, WE NEED **_ONE_** MORE FAVORITE. THAT'S RIGHT. **_YOU, NEW PERSON, FAVORITE US. YEEEEESSSSS, FALL FOR OUR TRAP._** I mean, ahem... Plz, fav. :P

Reviews!

portalportalrobot59: *Mid air freeze frame high five*  
BMO: Yeah, figured the largest cliffhanger so far should have a waiting period to match. :P  
GhostReclaimer: *Slowly pulls of shades* "Hot damn, a super rad review." I'm glad you like it. I'll try and keep the content rolling, hopefully it only gets better from here! :D  
Awesome Story: They say behind every story of success, there is an even greater story of support. And in this case, they'll be right. Thanks heaps. :)  
Mineking57: I'm glad that Endergirl has given you inspiration. Keep up the writing, I've got a feeling your ideas could be quite entertaining. And as always, thanks for the support.  
hunter15wright: Cheers.  
Rezkirel: *Stares vacantly at pun* *Contemplates will to live* *Chooses to ignore it* Hahaha, I know you're right, I should study my hardest. But I've just got so much I want to do... Also I tried drinking coffee before writing about a week back. I wrote an _entire _short story in about two hours. :D Thanks for the encouragement, your votes have been noted.  
NecrOphelia: Uhhh, thanks NecrOphelia... Joking. :P Thanks for the review, and hey, ramen and pixels for life, am I right?  
Flowslikepixelz: Preach it.  
UncleInTheAttic: WHOOOOOHH, I WROTE A FIGHT SCENE YOU'RE PROUD OF! Your reviews are always detailed and awesome! You don't just focus on the positives, but tell me what I've done wrong as well. You are a brilliant reviewer, and person. Thanks heaps for your continued support. P.S. Do you need an airlift out of that attic?  
Guest: I feel like the way everything played out with the consequences was a bit sketchy... What do you think? And hey, you take care too. :)  
Prometheus: Your support is amazing, there's no other way to describe it. :D  
WiseguyJaco: Hahaha, thank you. I'm glad I've made something you approve of. Your reviews always keep me on edge, but they push me to do better as well.  
VoidWalker45: Ayyyyyyy, I'll try and keep out doing myself far into the future. AND UPDATE ROTF MORE FREQUENTLY. I FUCKING LOVE THAT STORY. Ahem... Thanks.  
Pale1357: (This guy, is a legend.) Thanks for always letting me know when I've done something stupid. :D  
Chase1998: I'll keep saying it to, your support and encouragement are without doubt, some of the best. Thanks again, and thanks once more. :)  
Techhy: That was a pretty touching scene, I'm a little proud of it. AND YOU DAMN WELL BETTER RETYPE THEM. I'll have you know, your story was the second story I read on this site. I want to see it finished!  
Stunnington: Guest S, your new username... I love it. And I love your reviews! Thanks for everything. Read on!  
The Last Shadow Dragon: Hell yeah, I agree.  
InnerValence: I can see it getting darker in the future. In fact, I think Sky has already started that trend. I guess we'll wait and see... Thanks for the review.  
TheTestSubjects: Fuck. Yeah. Bruh.  
NekoLazy: Thanks, now I just have to figure out a better cliffhanger... I mean, uhhhhh... Ahem, what?  
xman8263: Hahahahaha, aww, I hope your condition has improved over the last month, and if not, I wish you the quickest recovery to come. I'm looking forward to your chapter five, whenever it gets here. Don't stress it, and take care. Thanks for your unending support. :)

There's a fucking lot of us who enjoy this story, isn't there? And us such, let's not forget that this is _our _story. I want to hear what you guys want to read! You want more romance? Tell me. More action? Fuck yeah. For character development? Can do. You want to know about someones past? Of course. Embarrassing situations? Well, those are coming whether you want them or not. :D

And as always, I leave Endergirls reputation and storyline, in your capable hands. Take care, stay safe, and if you see an Enderman, back away _slowly_.

Ciao.

\- Sylent


	22. Criminals among us!

**Author Note:**

"I'm a writer Mom, I make imaginary friends for a non-existent living. Leave me alone." - SylentDoom, 2015.

Starting Perspective: Felix

* * *

**Criminals among us!**

Amber wasn't at school.

Neither was David. Or Isaac. Or Key. Or the first year whose name escaped me. Raven was away too, but that happened on occasion. It was possible that their joint absence was coincidence, although that seemed extremely unlikely. Especially with the stories that spread like wildfire.

"They got caught up in a gang fight over drug money, for sure. I saw them." A blonde bitchy girl had confirmed at lunch.

"Those guys? Defiantly criminals. It's no wonder they had people after them." A football player had reported during design tech.

"I don't know what they're caught up in, but the way Isaac stole the principal's car was so badass!" An Isaac fangirl fangirled in first period.

I pushed up my glasses. "I thought Raven stole the car?"

"That bitch? Please, she doesn't have the balls."

But we both knew she was lying.

In a couple of hours, the six of them were practically celebrities. Both famous, and infamous. Everybody had mixed opinions, nobody knew the truth. And that's what made it so popular. Theories upon theories of what could have happened. A few crazy people said they saw Key disappear and reappear out of thin air, claiming something supernatural. Some thought they saw the entire crew wielding medieval style weapons, suggesting some secret vendetta. And others claimed the ones who chased them were demons of the evilest sort…

It all sounded like bullshit. But whatever it was, it was a brilliant story.

I rewound the report on my phone and hit play once more.

A smartly dressed news anchor sat behind an even smarter desk. She lined up her papers, and began speaking. "Yesterday, at an estimate of around one pm, a silver Porsche was seen speeding out of Saint Vincent's State School and onto public roads. In a vehicle intended for two, a total of six people were seen placed in the seats, and on the front and rear bonnets. In pursuit were several unknown figures, chasing them at what have been described as 'superhuman' speeds. Now these reports are all unconfirmed at the moment, but we've talked to several eye witnesses who agree with one another on these details. The car continued through several blocks, before veering dangerously onto the highway where it picked up speed. The crash was inevitable." It was as if the reporter finally took a breath before continuing. "We go now to Daniel Traily, who is live at the scene."

The view split to show a bundled up reporter, standing before a line of emergency vehicles. The shredded Porsche could be seen in the distance, a light patter of snow concealing it ever so slightly. "Thank you Mel. Now, what we see here are the leftover emergency services who are tending to the aftermath of the pileup. The four high school students, who we understand are in a serious condition, have already been delivered to the hospital." The camera rotated to show a small mess of cars and vans, backed into one another. "As you can see, the incident has entirely blocked the highwa-"

The video paused suddenly. Buffering… I reloaded the page. But instead of returning to where I had been, the screen ran blank, except for a few simple characters.

_Error 404: Page not found._

"Interesting…" I pushed up my glasses. "_Very _interesting…"

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

We had discharged ourselves from hospital. The doctor didn't have much of a problem with it, despite the nurse's wonderment. He looked at us, and he knew something was different. He didn't question it, nor did he remark on it, he just knew we no longer needed to stay.

I helped Amber up the front steps, onto the porch. She was still a little unbalanced, both from exhaustion, and a semi-healed broken leg. She had tried to walk on her own, but eventually gave up, placing an arm around my shoulders to steady herself.

"I can carry you."

"Really? I remember someone saying I was _heavy_." She replied with a glance.

My mind snapped back to our first meeting, in which I had run to her, and carried her home. "I never said that! You told me not to remember?"

"Yeah Amber, David _picked you up _without a hitch." Isaac said behind us.

Deadpan silence was the only applause he received for the spectacular pun.

"Move it." The principal spoke from behind our four man group, about as unamused as we were.

I sighed and rested Amber against the wall, reaching for the key in my pocket. The almost-elderly man had driven us home in a rather shiny four wheeled drive. How he could see over the dash, I would never know, but we were here none the less. The lock clicked and the door swung open to reveal a gloomy darkness. I went back for the girl in white, as the other three entered without ceremony.

"Where's your mother?" The principal asked, revealing the reason he had actually come.

I walked her through the doorway and into the media room, laying her down on the sofa. "Away, don't know when she'll be back."

The girl avoided my gaze, but nodded a thanks. Her shy side had made a small appearance.

"Where's your father?"

"Good question." I replied, moving to flick on lights and start the heater.

The man seemed to grasp my meaning, and hesitated before moving on. "Raven? You stay here?"

The redhead ascended the stairs, moving towards the shower. "Better than where I was."

"Isaac? Where are your parents?"

He looked confused for a second as he sat at the table, propping his feet on the glass. "Ask Amber."

I moved into the kitchen and put the kettle on, subtly noticing how Isaac had shifted the man's attention. Through the doorway, I saw him turn to Amber, who only smirked.

"Dead, I'd hope."

He swallowed at her blatant honesty. "So you guys live here, alone? What do you do for food?"

"David cooks." Isaac announced. "Although we did meet his ex-girlfriend at the coffee place."

"That's _right_." Amber affirmed with a little too much enthusiasm. "The one he had _never _talked about."

"Well you didn't exactly ask." I muttered from the kitchen, taking a set of mugs from the cupboard.

"What about money?"

"It's been my savings up until now. Speaking of which," I stuck my head around the corner. "If you know of any job opportunities that could support six people, I'd like to put forth my candidacy. Do you want tea, or coffee?"

He seemed taken aback by the whole situation, and the question. "C- Coffee, thanks."

I moved to prepare the drinks, already knowing that if I made one, I had to make six more.

Six…

I stepping into the dining room, calling upstairs. "Raven, are Key and Zoe up there?"

We had discussed where they had gone while we were waiting at the hospital. Isaac said he had heard a pop, after the car flipped, so we knew they had teleported away from the danger. We had presumed they'd be waiting for us at home, but so far… They hadn't appeared.

"No? Aren't they down there?" She called from the bathroom.

I looked around, concerned. Where the hell were they?

* * *

**Perspective Change: Zoe**

* * *

It was dark.

And it was cold.

I stumbled forwards on the uneven ground. The eerie mist that clung to everything made it impossible to see where my next footstep lay. We could be edging closer and closer to a cliff and we wouldn't even know it until it was too late.

Key stopped again.

My eyes flickered back to her, the Endergirl's outline only just visible through the pitch black haze. I squeezed her hand, trying to prompt her onwards. She was still shivering, only slightly now… A small tug led her one step, where she fell to a halt. My temper surged. I had lost count of how many times this had happened. She hadn't spoken, she hadn't said _anything_ about where we were. I pulled hard on her arm, harder than I should have.

She trotted forwards a few paces, before falling, meeting the ground with a small thud and a whimper. My heart dropped with guilt.

I knelt down, reaching to help her up. "I'm sorr-"

She coiled away from my touch, crawling backwards.

I stretched a hand after her as her image began to fade. "Key!"

She pushed to her feet, and ran… Leaving me alone in the void.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Felix**

* * *

"Are we even allowed to publish things like this?" Amanda asked, looking over my shoulder.

I continued typing, the words forming in my head as my fingers ran across the keys. "Freedom of the press." I countered.

She gave a small humph, before turning and shuffling across the room, slumping down on the old couch in the corner. "I'm not sure if that applies to a school newspaper."

"Sure it does."

I heard her lay down, apparently giving up. She was the president, but her ruling wasn't exactly an iron fist.

Saint Vincent's Weekly. It was a fitting title. Nothing as cool as _'The Times'_, or _'Wall Street Journal'_, but it managed. We printed two hundred and fifty copies each week, distributing them mostly around the seniors, who didn't have time to read gossip and rumours. Our paper, focused on the facts, detailing stories with evidence to support them. We did of course, have a competitor.

_St. Vince's Herald._

My jaw clenched at the thought. Printing around six hundred copies each week, their consuming audience was far larger than ours. All they talked about were relationships and crummy pop culture. The younger grades loved them, unable to differentiate between a reasonable report and pure speculation. Local advertisement supplied them with enough finance to double their production line, and even allow them to print… In _colour_.

The principal's car getting stolen? Students fighting off monsters? There was no way they weren't going to cover it. We had to get in before them, and we ha-

The door to our small room burst open. A small girl, blonde piggy tails, her breath coming out in gasps. She straightened suddenly, holding up a wrinkled article. "They published it!"

I jumped out of my seat, striding towards her and snatching the item. Colours filled the front page, a blurry picture of six individuals filling up the majority of it. The headline was in a striking bold, and far larger than it needed to be.

_CRIMINALS AMONG US!_

_On Tuesday, the 29__th__, six students were confronted by what are suspected to be gangsters. Numerous eyewitness reports detail the figures quite specifically. "They all wore black, with purple hair! Definitely a gang." Says Madison._

Specific? There were only two details! You can hardly confirm they're gangsters by the way they're dressed. I read on.

_But it would seem that the group of students, Amber, Key, David, Zoe, and Isaac Verona, as well as Raven Carter, had been waiting for them, as they all pulled guns from their blazers._

You've got to be kidding me.

_After the first gunshot sounded, the crew split towards the carpark, while Isaac headed towards the administration block. Their pursuers gave chase._

There were no gunshots! And it was _Raven_ who stole the car! Amanda, who had noticed my annoyed expression, read over my shoulder once more.

_It wasn't long before Isaac drifted the principal's Porsche out of the carpark, the entire group piled onto the vehicle as they exchanged rounds with their enemies. What happened after that can only be left to imagination, but there's no doubt that they'll end up expelled._

I scrunched the pathetic excuse for journalism into a ball, letting it fall to the wooden floorboards below.

The president sighed behind me, returning to her couch. "Looks like they beat you to it."

I readjusted my glasses. "Not with that bullshit they didn't."

"Language."

* * *

**Perspective Change: Zoe**

* * *

I had been walking for hours.

Or at least, what felt like hours. Time was a blur. There was no way to measure it, no sun to set or rise, no moon to pierce the darkness. I had long ago given up on calling her name. She was gone. So far away or so hurt that she wouldn't see me. I had left her alone again, and it was all my fault…

My next step dropped unexpectedly, and I fell forwards with a yelp. I tumbled downwards, my skin grazing against the unforgiving ground as I rolled, my limbs flailing. Something splintered as I smashed back onto the flat. My breath came in gasps as I tried to recover the lost wind, while I clutched at my throbbing side.

A droning chuckle echoed in the distance.

I froze, my breath still rapid as I gazed around hurriedly. "Who's there?"

"I thought, spiders, were supposed to be quick, on their feet…" The solemn voice paused at odd places. And yet, it sounded familiar.

I scrambled to my feet, wincing. "Where are you!?"

"The question you should be asking…" A pop echoed before a tall, masculine figure, appeared before me. His magenta purple hair waved unevenly in the non-existent wind. He clutched a tattered sword in one hand, while the other… Was just a stump, leaking crimson to the ground below. "Is where are you?"

His lifeless eyes gleamed with a grin.

* * *

**Perspective Change: The Unnamed Servant**

* * *

I pulled another Dorito from its packet, crunching down on it as I peered into the pool. It was an odd snack, but the humans enjoyed them, and I could see why. The taste was salty, while still maintaining a base of baked corn. The bubbly grain made it kind of enjoyable to crunch down on, making me want more. I took another.

A sigh escaped me as I watched Key fall to the ground, curling up in a little ball. And she was my favourite too… I pushed a greasy finger to the control panel, flicking the scene to another dimension.

My eyes rolled. David was still searching the house for her. For someone so naturally smart, he can be really thick-headed sometimes. Still… He had managed to protect everyone. I thought for sure someone would be dead by now, but they had managed it.

Not that they were anywhere near safe.

A hand reached into the packet, retrieving a few chips. My gaze snapped upwards to see the honey blonde menace standing right above me, gazing into the pool. I straightened, instantly on edge. I had seen that expression before, many times. It was by far her most dangerous…

She was bored.

"Has he done anything yet?" She exhaled, placing one of the snacks in her mouth.

I followed her gaze, watching him descend the stairs slowly. "He's just realised that Key and Zoe aren't there."

Crunch. "The Endergirl and the…"

"Spider." I finished.

"Anything else going on?"

Pausing, my memory ticked. "After the events on the roads, a series of reports sprung up. I wasn't able to contain them all straight away, but it shouldn't do much damage."

A small hiss escaped her. "Anything else?" Crunch.

"I think before long, they're going to have someone tailing them…"

"A human?"

"It would seem so."

Crunch.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Felix**

* * *

I stood awkwardly on the front porch, trying to decide if I should go through with it or not. Bundled up in my thick jacket and scarf, the cold still nipped at my ears. I shouldn't be here, really, this was wrong. But I had already gone to the trouble of checking the hospital…

I raised a knuckle to the door.

It swung inwards unexpectedly. A short, white haired man stared up at me. His eyes widened. "Good lord, tell me you don't live here as well Felix?"

"Wha- No. Wait, why?"

I saw the tall form of David standing behind the man and suddenly tensed. A small flicker of recognition played within his ocean blue eyes. I gave a shaky nod, which he returned.

The principal glared at me. "What have those idiots been up to at school?"

It was the first time I had seen the man so irritated. Then again, having your prized vehicle destroyed, wouldn't exactly put you in the best of moods. "Uhh… A bunch of ugly rumours have sprung up."

"Perfect." He pushed passed me, shuffling through the light snow to his huge four wheeled drive. "Absolutely _perfect_."

The remaining two of us watched him rev the husky engine, before swerving down the road. I turned stiffly back to David, who examined me closely.

"You're the one who came and got me, when Jacob was being a prick." He stated.

I pushed up my glasses, seeing that the act might work in my favour. "Yes, that was me."

He nodded, before stepping to the side. "Come in."

Brushing my shoes off on the welcome mat, I strode through the door. It was warm inside, and the lighting gave off a cosy glow, despite how big the place was. The first thing I noticed was Amber. She lounged on the sofa in the next room, a mug of coffee cupped in both hands and a blanket draped over her.

She sat up a little as she saw me. "You're…"

"Yeah, I'm in your class."

The girl relaxed slightly, but watched in interest. I noticed the scar again, not that it was hard to miss. Questions streamed through my mind as I recalled her ominous answer. _'Stupidity…'_ But now was hardly the time to ask. I barely noticed Isaac, as he seemed to blend in with his surroundings somehow. He sat behind the dining room table, boots propped up on it.

I looked back to David, who leant against the wall expectantly. He was tense, like he had been in the middle of something. But I spoke anyway. "My name's Felix, I'm with Saint Vincent's Weekly. I thought you might want to clear some things up before you go back to school."

He sighed. "Figured it was something like that… What's kind of things are people saying now?"

"Mostly that you got wrapped up in something criminal."

A wince escaped him as he moved towards the glassware table, nudging Isaac's shoes off it and taking a seat. He gestured to the one opposite before taking a sip from the mug before him. "Let's talk."

* * *

**Author Note:**

Ooooo, neeeewsssspaaaapeeeeerssssss...

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY! WE'VE DONE IT! WE'VE MADE IT TO THE FIRST PAGE IN ORDER OF FAVORITES! You absolute fucking legends. I mean, uhh... Good job everyone. Seriously, I feel like we've got something here. BUT, now we need a new goal. WHICH IS WHY, AS OF THIS MOMENT, WE SHALL CONCENTRATE THE ENTIRETY OF OUR FIREPOWER ON REACHING THE TOP FIVE! WE MAY NEED ANOTHER SIXTY SIX FAVORITES, BUT I BELIEVE IN YOU GUYS. _**WE CAN DO THIS!**_ *Throws fist into the air*

Now, Prometheus suggests a lemon, Naw2505 says more David and Key, similarly UncleInTheAttic wants to know more about the Endergirl.  
I think you know what that means... He, hehe, hehehehehehehehehehehehehe.

Also, Pale1357 requested a basic review of the characters. So here we go. Keep in mind, this is what they are currently, _everything_ is subject to change.

MAIN CHARACTERS:

David - Human, Main Character  
Raven - Human, Navajo Connection  
Sky - Human, Weapons Specialist  
Felix - Human, Reporter  
Key - Hybrid Enderman, Namesake of the Story  
Amber - Hybrid Skeleton... Mystery Girl  
Zoe - Hybrid Spider, Close to Key  
Isaac - Hybrid Creeper, "King of women everywhere."

SUB CHARACTERS:

Jennifer - Human, David's Ex  
The Principal - Human, Rich  
Koridas - Human, Smart and Weird  
Jacob - Asshole, Prick  
The Unnamed Servant - Not Telling, Couch Potato  
Honey Blonde Villain - Nope, Sadist Dictator

Ehhh, do we have enough space for reviews? Meh, sure, why not. Reviews!

The Last Shadow Dragon: Why thank you, I'll aim to leave you on the edge of your seat.  
UncleInTheAttic: Thanks for all that. And I'm especially glad you weren't stuck in there for a whole month. :D  
VoidWalker45: Well hello there Shade. Thanks. :P  
Pale1357: Got it now? It's my fault actually, I should put more emphasis on what the characters are. Thanks for reminding me to work on that. :)  
Shine Archetype: Ayyyy, hahaha, thank you kindly. *Tips hat* And the best of luck to you as well.  
commanderimf: Well, here's chapter twenty two. Thanks for the encouragement.  
WiseguyJaco: Or you put a pumpkin on your head. Oooo, story idea. :D  
The True Swordsman: Hahahah, damn straight.  
Chase1998: *Sends virtual cookie for being the most consistently supportive reviewer* Thanks Chase. :)  
Stunnington: As always, your reviews are a delight to read. Yes, I was surprised when most of you instantly considered Sky male, so I flipped it for fun. :P And yes... Sky seems to have a rather shady background... Like every other character in the book. :D Thanks again S.  
Prometheus: Expect one soon. Although, it needs to be set up right, or it will send the whole story spiraling into that depressed state that is oh so common and oh so unbearable. Somewhere within the next five chapters I'd say.  
Naw2505: Thanks. #IKWYM :P  
Mineking57: Hahaha, well, now you know. :D

Dooooooooone, okay... School starts the day after tomorrow, and I promised to spend tomorrow with my significant other. "THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL TAKE ME THREE WEEKS TO FINISH." Maybe we'll see a miracle. :P

OH OH, and we need a better blurb for the story, this one's kind of outdated. It has to be under 384 characters, including spaces. If you've got a good one, post it in a review or private message me. MAY THE BEST WRITER WIN. Muhahahahah. Off to cook ramen again. Get some sleep. Work on your stories, especially _you_, Techhy and VoidWalker. Ciao.

\- Sylent


	23. I'll tear out your spine

**Author Note:**

So, here we are again. First and foremost I'd like to report that this took three weeks and _one day _to complete. Heheheh... Sorry. Secondly, Thank you kindly for all your relationship support, it's still going well. Thirdly, it's 1:33 AM with school tomorrow, which will include the submission of two major assignments that I may or may not have started yet, so I'll keep it short.

Basically, PLOT DEVELOPMENT AND MORE MYSTERIES, MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Enjoy. :P

Starting Perspective: David

* * *

**"I'll tear out your spine."**

"So let's review." Felix started, taking another bite from his plate and glancing at his notes.

He was a completely different person when he was working on a story. All that I had noticed of him before was a kind of shy intelligence, but now he seemed confident and straightforward. We all sat around the dining room table, half listening, half eating the steak and mash that I had cooked up. He had a lot of questions, and gladly accepted the invitation to stay for dinner.

"Your cousins are staying with you due to family tragedy… Which you can't tell me about." He looked up to make sure he was on the right track. I nodded, causing him to continue. "You've got a group of people after you… But you can't tell me who they are." Nod. "And you all survived a major car accident without as much as a scratch, but you can't say how."

"Yes." I confirmed.

He blinked a few times. "Why not?"

Pausing, I missed my chance to make up an excuse. "It's an ongoing investigation." Raven spoke before biting down on another strip of steak.

"A police investigation?"

Nodding a few times, I went along with Raven's lie.

A sigh escaped the boy as he seemed to relinquish the idea of answering any major questions. The small black notebook flipped closed, and he took up his cutlery once more. "So, why are you staying here?" The gaze fell over his black framed lenses, setting on the redheaded girl.

The fiery strands bounced slightly as she looked up from her almost empty plate. Her eyes hesitated a moment before she came up with another sidestep. "The food." Standing, the girl leant across the table, fork outstretched to pierce the adjacent Creeper's meal.

But her conquest fell short as she winced, clutching a hand to her stomach. The chair wobbled marginally as she sat back down, a frustrated frown contorting her face. It was clear enough that her wounds had not fully healed.

Isaac sighed, and cut off a half of his serving, leaning across to brush it onto her plate. She stared at him from the corner of her eye, watching as he retreated. Her sights flickered down to the offering, where she contemplated it for a moment.

A small humph escaped her as she looked away. "Not hungry."

"Spoilt brat." Isaac threw.

"Asshole."

The room fell silent for a moment. I noticed Felix study the two quizzically, his eyes stitching together possibilities. He seemed intrigued by their interaction.

It wasn't long before Raven gave in, dipping a finger into the mash potato when Isaac wasn't looking. He glanced up, prompting an explanation of her movements, which she covered by reaching for her untouched glass of water. They eyed each other as she took an unladylike glug.

Felix's eyes widened. "Are you two dating?"

A jet of water sprayed from Ravens lips.

She spluttered and coughed a few times, trying to contain herself. Meanwhile, a drenched Creeper ran a napkin across his otherwise blank face.

A finger was pointed across the table. "Dating this creep?"

"Dating that midget?" Isaac countered.

A visible pang of annoyance outlined the redhead's brow. "The only thing short here is your d-"

"Sorry, sorry!" The reporter interrupted. "You guys just look kind of… Close." He pushed up his glasses, revealing a hint of embarrassment.

The axe wielder stared at him for a moment, before leaning back in her chair once more, the front legs lifting slightly from the ground. "He's already got plenty of girls."

Isaac paused, before splitting from her gaze awkwardly. "Yeah…"

The room fell silent.

Clearing his voice, Felix spoke once more. "So, where are the other two?"

* * *

**Perspective Change: Key**

* * *

It was all wrong.

_All wrong._

I let go a yelp as I tripped over my own feet, which felt too heavy. The uneven ground clashed with my knees, packing more force than was natural. I felt restricted, coiled, compressed. Like non-existent walls were pressing in on me from all sides. I was being crushed by the deathly darkened atmosphere.

I stumbled back to my feet, unable to hold myself on the ground any longer. I was being _pulled _forwards. My muscles twitched and my limbs ached. Every step I took was made by someone else, somewhere else. I barely remembered the hundreds of strides behind me, and my mind was numbed as to how many more lay ahead.

I missed Zoe. Where was she? I had left her all alone. She was always there to help me, always there to make sure I was alright…

Where was she now?

I couldn't keep walking. I knew where this road lead. I knew where _I _was.

My soul dropped at the distant shine of obsidian, and once more at the glossy black masses of Endermen… Hundreds of disjointed groups, standing still, and on point. Their uneasy presence teased me, brushing against my consciousness like a humid whisper. Heads turned like clockwork, eyes as bottomless as the void around us.

My family…

Their hollow eyes followed my every twisting movement as I crept closer, and closer. I could feel them toying with my fear, poking and prodding at it. Everything inside of me screamed to turn and run, but I couldn't. It was too late now, the grip of despair had already tightened around my throat. My will was no match for the one who reeled me closer.

The mist covered ground gave me no sense of stability, the towering obsidian pillars did nothing to give me direction, and the piercing shriek from above could not snap me back to reality.

_All wrong…_

* * *

**Perspective Change: Zoe**

* * *

I stared at the figure before me, not wanting to accept what I saw. My eyes hovered over his arm, or rather, the lack thereof. It bled a sopping crimson, dripping unevenly before being devoured by the mist that cloaked the ground. The sharp cut, was all too familiar… "It's not healing, is it?"

The possessed hybrid narrowed his gaze. "It, will."

I shook my head, biting back the small coil of fear that churned my stomach. "You can feel it. Your cells aren't replicating."

A spike of tension brought a pause in its wake, tugging the corner of his mouth upwards into a foul grin. "You don't know, what it feels, like."

Swallowing, I choked down my contempt, as my fingers started south. The wounded soul brought his blade to my throat as he eyed my every movement. I stopped in my tracks, my breath becoming uneven. Slowly, I began to move once more, my fingertips finding the first button on my uniform.

He tensed, trying to figure out what was happening. "Do not, toy, with the human, in me."

"I'm not trying to." The next button unravelled itself.

My scarf teased my skin, as the white V-neck fell from my shoulders. The next fastening threatened to reveal my chest… But it couldn't be helped. The older boy, as he was not quite a man, refrained from further comment as I exposed myself. I clenched my jaw as the last button released its hold, letting the garment fall from my skin.

I held his gaze for a moment, before turning.

Although he had the soul of an Enderman, it did not stop him from shifting slightly at the sight before him. I knew what it was he found, there was no chance that it had dispersed. I had tried everything to rid myself of its message, peeling away the skin, cutting away at the flesh, even holding a torch against its lettering…

But like his, it was a wound that would never fade.

Two words, engraved between my shoulder blades, deep enough to reveal the blood that throbbed beneath.

Neither one of us spoke. It was silent, as his gaze studied the carving vacantly. He would not ask about the story behind the phrase. Nor would he attempt to comfort me. And for once, I was glad that Endermen had no compassion.

"It won't heal." I started, reaching for my shirt before turning to face him once more. I met his empty glare. "That sword, does not forgive."

_Lying Whore_

* * *

**Perspective Change: The Unnamed Servant**

* * *

She sighed loudly once more.

I twitched at the noise, trying to maintain my focus on the scene before me. It would seem that Zoe had revealed one of her secrets, and to an Enderman no less. I vaguely recalled the story behind her mark, prompting a shiver which swept across my skin.

The blonde demon, who lay on the floor behind me, let out a sweeping exhale.

My lips pursed at her obvious boredom. I tapped the control panel, switching just in time to see the door close behind Felix. David stretched stiffly, before looking over to Amber, attempting to climb the stairs with a broken leg. Shaking his head, he started towards her.

Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh.

I closed my eyes in annoyance, before turning to the woman. "Is something the matter, Milady?"

"There's nothing to doooooo." She complained loudly, seemingly satisfied that she had finally gained my attention.

Refraining from rolling my eyes, I looked for a possibility. "You could always check up on the hybrids, see which one you want to send next?"

She rolled over. "Bor- ing."

A subtle puff escaped me. "You might find it more interesting, if you were closer to the subjects."

Her churning blue eyes glared at me from between a lazy golden curtain. "What do you mean?"

I shrugged, looking back to the pool. "Try giving human life a go. You might find it easier to manipulate them if they're within your reach." By the time the words had slipped out, it was too late to consider the consequences. I glanced back at the horror, who now stared at me with a sparkle in her eyes.

"How would I do that?"

A wince echoed through my mind. This was bad… Although, perhaps I could put her off the idea. "Well, you'd need to fit in… So you'd effectively need to become _human._"

But instead of dropping the outlandish plan, her wide-eyed gaze became alight with curiosity. "Teach me!"

"T- Teach you?"

"Well yeah, you're mostly human right? And all you do is sit in here and watch them all day. So teach me how to be human!"

"I'm not sure if tha-"

Her gaze sharpened dramatically. "You won't?"

My survival instinct kicked in, forcing me to nod. "I will."

A cheerful smile recaptured her face. "Good."

* * *

**Perspective Change: Isaac**

* * *

"What the fuck is this?"

I leant against her doorframe, waiting for someone to explain it. I sure as hell wasn't about to.

"Your wounds aren't fully healed." David called from the end of the hallway, ready to retreat into his room at the first sign of danger.

The short redhead in front of me whipped around. "So!?"

He scratched at his jaw awkwardly. "Isaac can heal you."

She feel eerily silent, the tips of her ears brightening to the point where they could almost blend in with her hair.

"Just, put up with it for tonight, and uh… Try not to kill each other. Sleep well." The boy disappeared into his stronghold, leaving me alone with the essence of fire.

A moment passed, before she turned, eyes cast to the ground. "Leave."

"No." I replied, neutral.

An icy cold gaze snapped up at me, the freezing blue throwing her flushed cheeks into blinding contrast. "I don't need you."

"Yes you do."

"It will heal by itself."

"Yeah, and it could take weeks. What happens if you have to fight again?"

"I'll make it work."

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "You'll just get hurt again."

"I don't care." She spat.

"I do."

Her gaze widened, before narrowing down, trying to judge my motives. She looked back at the floorboards beneath our feet. "If you try anything, I'll tear out your spine."

"I believe you."

She paused for a moment longer, before pushing past me roughly. Hesitating briefly at her words, I followed her in.

It was a reasonably large room, a queen sized bed pushed up against a large window which overlooked the snow cloaked garden below. As well as a plain wooden dresser, a small heater was the only other thing present. The redheaded girl sat stiffly on the opposite side of the mattress, not wanting to give me the satisfaction of her blush.

"H- How close do you have to be?"

I slipped out of my hoodie, throwing it over the dresser. "Close."

She seemed to squirm within her skin. It was the first time I had seen her so uncomfortable. "Do we really have t-"

"Yes. Calm the fuck down, it's not like we're having sex."

The girl practically hit the roof at the phrase. "I k- know th- that, jackass."

A sigh escaped me as I kicked off my shoes and flicked the light switch, casting the room into darkness. My vision adjusted quickly, until there was little difference to how it had been before, but apparently it helped humans sleep. I started towards the bed, pulling off my socks as I went. It was taking the _entirety _of my willpower to refrain from making fun of her embarrassment. I mean don't get me wrong, I was a little out of my comfort zone as well, but she was usually more adaptable than this. Not that it wasn't kind of cute…

I lifted up the covers and slipped underneath, instantly enveloped by the unreal comfort. Sure I had slept on the occasional bed before, and the sofa was brilliant in its own right, but this was like paradise. I looked over at Raven, who still sat rigid on the bedside. "Come on." I prompted.

A few seconds passed before she stood, and bent over to slip out of her school shoes. Tentatively, she slid a hand against her thigh. Her fingers pulling up her skirt ever so slightly as she undid a group of fastening beneath it. The pair of tomahawks, their holster included, descended her legs, dropping to the carpet with a dull thud. Gingerly, she stepped out of the straps, her white socks revealing how dark the weapons really were.

She only paused once more, before bundling herself underneath the blanket, facing away from me.

"You're not getting changed?"

"Not with you around." A mumble replied.

I couldn't help but smirk. "You're going to have to get a little closer."

Shuffling a centimetre or two, she complied. Although, we were still half a meter apart. Seeing no end to her stubbornness, I made up the ground. My chest grazed against her slightly as I moved, freezing her in place. I backed off, remembering her threat.

It took her a solid minute to relax once more. Her elbow nudged my side softly. I watched the back of her head, waiting for an explanation. It was weird, when she was this close… I could smell some type of fruit. I guessed that the sensation originated from one of the tubes in the shower. What were they called again? Shim- Shempoo? Shampoo? It was a subtle scent, but it was almost… Comforting.

Her elbow nudged me again.

"What?" I asked, curious.

"Y- You're warm."

"It's an occupational hazard."

A few more restless moments passed, before she shifted her weight slightly. Her skin brushed against mine as she edged a little closer. And seemingly all at once, she pressed against me, as if I were a pillow. I could see the tips of her ears glowing, but neither of us said a word.

I could have just left things there, and fallen asleep, but the man inside of me screamed for heroics. Swallowing my fear, I tempted death. My arm traced the covers, until it fell over her waist, holding her lightly. I could feel her coiling beneath me, ready to let loose at the movement.

But nothing happened.

We lay there in silence, fully awake. I stood on a knife's edge, in front of a gun barrel, at the edge of a cliff. It could go either way… The tension eased a little as she seemed to quiet down, her muscles returning from their tensed state. I let out a pent up breath, celebrating the fact that I hadn't had my spine removed.

"Yeah, no." Her whole body tensed once more as she pushed my arm back to where it came.

"Alright. Don't kill me."

If I hadn't known better, I could have sworn I heard a giggle…

* * *

**Author Note:**

I'm gonna be honest... I'm pretty proud of that last segment. Should I be?

In other news, there's a short story competition coming up in a few days, which I'm planning to enter if I ever get around to it. It's a three hundred word max, talking about organ donation... Basically it's to prompt discussion. So I thought maybe I'd write from the perspective of a transplant receiver, and plan to make the audience cry, hope and rejoice, so that they can sign up to hand over their body parts when they no longer need them. How hard can it be? :D

... I'm so screwed.

Also, after that bout of confidence in my abilities, a few of you have asked for writing/motivation tips. So here is...

_**SYLENT'S GUIDE TO ULTIMATE WRITING SUCCESS**_ (Results may vary. Always read the small text.)

"Practice, practice, practice." Yes, the majority of people will tell you that. And usually they will be correct. However! This advice can probably be improved upon. Personally, I would suggest, "Read, write, enjoy." First and foremost, reading anything, even not-so-brilliant material, will help you to notice flaws and strong points, helping you to identify what good writing techniques are. Write, well this is obvious. Don't hold back on a story just because your writing skills "Aren't up to scratch." You can always go back and rewrite it later, and writing with a good idea will encourage you to write more and more, which is where practice becomes easy. And lastly, _enjoy_. Honestly, if you don't absolutely love writing, then it's hard to prompt your readers to enjoy your work. Yes, you're going to want to smash your keyboard, and brain, with a hammer sometimes, but if you really enjoy it, you'll always come crawling back. There is no escape. D:

As for motivation, well, there are a few things I try. Usually, if you're so unmotivated you can't work, then it's time to take a break, even if you've already been having a break for ages. But by break, and this is where it gets lame, I mean a real break. Turn off your music, put down your phone, and just go outside and do something, or do nothing. Inspiration comes around roughly every ninety minutes, assuming there are no interruptions. So, this is the first step I recommend. Le second step, is to write something COMPLETELY unrelated to anything you're doing. Try writing a brand new story just for shits and gigs, NOT FOR PUBLISHING, just for fun. Usually this clears up your mind and helps you focus a bit later. Sometimes I just look through new stories on here and write super long reviews. (Hint, hint.)

This may be expanded on later, feel free to ask questions. :)

Reviews!

DeathEpyon: Hey, you're awesome! Aaaaaaand... I can't make any promises. :P  
TheFanficCritic1337: THAT JOKE FINALLY GOT APPRECIATION. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG I'VE BEEN WAITING.  
Yukki Kazuto: Woah, don't go breaking any laws... Said no one ever. Thanks heaps for the review, always appreciated. ALSO YOU NOW HOLD THE RECORD FOR MOST CHAPTERS READ IN A DAY.  
commanderimf: I hope I covered everything. /\  
Azno the Godzilla nerd: Why thank you. I agree with you about the backstories, although at this point it seems there would be a lot of content to cover. Still, we'll attempt to get it in here somewhere... ':} No zombie? *No zombie... Yet.  
Pale1357: Woah, send me the link for anything you write! I'd love to read it. Hopefully I covered your motivation problem. /\ :)  
WiseguyJaco: Because every time I take longer than a week I imagine your disapproving glare. :3  
Chase1998: Yay, the news paper thing kind of just blurted out at the last moment, so I'm glad it worked. And don't worry, I'll sort out the consequences thing. Also Void is in the process of writing several stories at once, meaning we must hack the mainframe, and exchange them all for coins so he can focus. :D They're all pretty good though actually...  
UncleInTheAttic: Hahahahaha, thanks heaps. Your always a super rad reviewer and give heaps of awesome feedback. ALSO THIS MAN IS KEEPING KEY LOCKED IN HIS BASEMENT, WE MUST SAVE HER.  
DeathKnight999: Hmmmm, no idea yet. we'll see how it goes.  
Prometheus: Sneaky bastard. :3  
Stunnington: Hahahahahaahhahaahha, kawaiiiiiiiii! Tell me, tell me, tell me! Who is it! I miss you too Stunnington, remember, we'll always be together in here. *Pounds fist to heart*  
VoidWalker: CHASE1998 SAYS YOU SHOULD HURRY UP WITH THE NEXT CHAPTER. I mean, ahem, hahaa... Thanks. :P  
Mineking57: Mmmm, Felix was meant to just be a side character, but looks like everyone loves him, so a pairing will probably happen... Who knows?

Yosh, it's 2:28 now... If I'm lucky, I'll get... Four hours? Not bad... Still searching for that _perfect _blurb by the way... Don't forget to favorite... *Yawn* Stay awesome bro- Wait, no. OH OH OH, WE NEED LIKE A TEAM NAME SO IN THE FUTURE BOOKS I WRITE, I CAN BE LIKE ADD IN SUBTLE REFERENCES THAT ONLY YOU GUYS WILL GET. Yeah, team name, think on it.

Ciao. Get some sleep.

\- Sylent


	24. Raven?

**Author Note:**

So, chapter twenty four huh? We're getting up there. And we're on the _first _page favorites wise. Which you know, is fucking awesome. Sorry 'bout how long this one took. The relationship came to a sudden halt. Hurt more than I thought it would... Can't imagine how they're feeling... Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnyway, for a while you guys have been wanting backstory, specifically with Raven. So here we are.

FURTHER MORE, WHICH ONE OF YOU MADE AN ACCOUNT CALLED RAVAC? Jesus... You guys. :J

Starting Perspective: Felix

* * *

**"Raven?"**

There was no way they were telling the truth.

An ongoing police investigation? Then why weren't they under protection? And surely these events would at _least_ prompt a call from their parents. Furthermore… David and Amber seemed a little…

Well, I didn't want to jump to conclusions.

I typed out my last sentence, leaning back in my chair. The club room was filled with a steady breeze, the windows spread open to reveal the winter blue sky above. Dawn was not too far in the past, making it calmly quiet outside. Standing up, I stretched out my shoulders, moving to gaze from the opening. The second story gave a clear view of the courtyard bellow, the pathway paved in old brick, worn smooth over time. A solitary oak tree stood guard in its centre, a simple table taking up residence beneath the leafless branches.

Yeah, I was the only one here this earl-

A girl, with vibrant aqua hair, started across the square. I watched in interest, as she continued her journey. A towel was clasped in her arms, and she seemed to be headed towards the showers… The thought fell short as she paused mid step. Her long hair waving slightly as she gazed up at me.

Our eyes locked, but all I saw… Was a wasteland.

She stared vacantly, without a hint of life. It was almost as if, she were staring _through_ me. A glint of rising sunlight flashed from a hint of silver by her lip. As I looked closer, the ringed piercing defined itself. She was quite tall, perhaps even taller than me. If I hadn't been a story above, I might have felt intimidated. Her figure wasn't exactly curvy, but an argument could be made that it was still desirable. My wandering sights passed over the small tag on her collar, which presented the girl as a third year, a senior. Beautiful? Definitely. But it was hard to look past the darkness in her eyes. A sudden gust of wind sent the aqua shade skywards.

It was mesmerizing…

And just as quickly as she had come, the girl was lost moments later, disappearing amongst the urban canopy.

I blinked, returning to reality. It had all happened so quickly that it was hard to tell if it had happened at all. A mysterious girl, with shining blue hair… It sounded like a good story. But I had to focus. I couldn't waste time on things that weren't connected to the six in question.

There were so many questions unanswered. What was this family tragedy that forced the Verona siblings to move? Who was chasing them? Where are their parents? Are all of these things connected? I had a feeling I was only beginning to scratch the surface.

But it was exciting.

"You look busy."

I looked over my shoulder as the club president dropped her bag, and herself, on the couch. My fingertips readjusted my glasses subconsciously. "What are you doing here so early?"

Rolling onto her side, she lay down. "I wanted to hear what you've got so far."

I leant back against the window frame, happy to report what I had learnt. "Well, David seems to be at the head of the group. They're staying at his house and he funds everything. Although interestingly enough, as well as Amber, Key, Zoe and Isaac, Raven is also staying with him."

"Raven?"

"Just a hypothesis, but she seems close to Isaac. Although it's probable that there is another factor." I reasoned, remembering her hesitant reaction.

"There were rumours of Isaac hitting on her."

I nodded. "Apart from that, they couldn't tell me much, apparently due to an ongoing police investigation. However that seems unlikely."

"Why?"

"If they were under threat and the police were openly aware of it, then they would have compulsory protection. Furthermore Raven would have cleared out soon after the force started investigating."

The president gave me a confused look.

I tilted my head. "You don't know?"

"I have a feeling you're about to tell me."

"She's got a record."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course she does… Wait, how do you know?"

Moving across the room, I pulled open one of the old filing cabinets, which I knew like the back of my hand. Flipping through the articles, I levered one out of the bunch and handed it to her.

She sat up, reading the headline aloud. "Saint Vincent's Weekly: Getaway driver to student." Her eyes narrowed at the picture of a cocky looking Raven on the front page. "I don't remember this issue."

I pointed at the large cross in the upper corner. "It was rejected last year."

Ignoring the fact, she continued with her observations. "She's literally a full blown criminal."

"Yeah, except she was a straight A student in elementary school."

"What?"

I rushed back to my laptop, Amanda following me soon after. Pulling open one of my many tabs, we scanned the contents in sync.

_New Century Elementary School, Awards of the 15__th__ Graduating Class:_

_Ashely Brenner: Academic Gold, Sports Recommendation.  
Edward Brontly: Academic Silver.  
Raven Carter: Academic Gold, Principals Excellence, School Captain._

The names extended for a little longer, but the president had already found the obvious anomaly.

"School captain!? Are we talking about the same Raven here?"

"I've checked and double checked. All records show that through the entirety of her elementary education, she was diligent and productive."

She stared at me, trying to wrap her head around it. "Alright… Take me through her story."

I shook my head, still focused on the screen. "That's just the thing… Anything past this," I gestured to the webpage. "It's completely gone. At least for two years, until suddenly she's back on the grid, as a high-speed pursuit target."

An eerie silence descended the room, making the conversation seem rushed and frantic.

"So what happened?"

* * *

**Perspective Change: Raven**

* * *

I jolted slightly, snapping out of my slumber. Taking a breath, I remembered where I was, and let myself relax. No matter what was going on outside, David's house was always welcoming, always warm…

Warm.

My face was pressed up against something warm, and my arms held onto it tightly, making sure that it couldn't escape while the rest of me curled up against it. The image of a giant hot water bottle popped into my mind, followed by a heater, followed by…

My lashes flung open. The image was hard to identify at first. I saw fingers, my fingers, grasping at the hem of some fabric… The neck of a shirt? My mind spun in all directions, but the sound of a breathing that was not my own quickly concluded the debate. A pang of embarrassment and annoyance twisted my nerves at the realisation, as well as an overwhelming urge to escape.

I attempted to roll backwards, but something caught. Glancing briefly underneath the covers, I stiffened. My eyes crept upwards, beholding the boy who kept me captive. His dark hair was messy and tussled, only slightly covering his lulled eyelids. For some reason, I felt my cheeks flush.

Fucking pathetic. What was with this girly reaction?

Unhooking one of my hands, I reached beneath the thick blanket, awkwardly unwinding his light grasp on the edge of my shirt. I had planned to simply roll away after that, but instead his arm seemed to move on its own accord, wrapping around my waist and pulling me closer.

My mind went blank.

This was one of the few times, when I had no idea what to do. If I could just get my arms free… But it was no use, they were pinned between us. Maybe I could kick… But with the way they were curled up against him…

A short sigh escaped me, more of a quick exhale really. After a single seconds thought, I tapped my forehead against his chest.

The boy stirred slightly, but did not wake.

I stared at him as he settled back down, his breathing becoming steady once more. My eyes traced his jawline subconsciously. Blinking, I refocused on my task, and head-butted him again.

This time his eyes fluttered open. They were a little blurry, but soon sharpened to take in the world around him.

I starred up at the Creeper, suddenly unsure if waking him was the best idea. Ignoring the blood that rushed to my cheeks, I spoke up. "Hey," My voice came out softer than usual, which just served to agitate me more. I cleared it, and continued. "Let me go."

The boy followed the noise, finding me in his grasp. His eyes widened as he tried to comprehend the situation, experiencing exactly what I had gone through a few seconds before. He stared straight at me, an inkling of fear shining through. A blink was all it took to send him jolting off of the bed, hitting the floor with a loud thump and a groan. He shuffled backwards until he could go no further, pressing himself up against the wall. "Don't kill me."

I paused for a moment, trying to contain myself. But it wasn't long before the laughter broke through.

The creeper looked on in confusion.

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

"Checkmate."

I sighed and lay down, breaking eye contact.

She examined me thoughtfully. "That's the third time today… What's wrong?"

My head lulled to look up at the white haired girl, who sat cross-legged on the bed, wearing another one of my baggy t-shirts. And again, my eyes were drawn to the small nick on her jaw. It was nothing compared to the ragged scar which adjourned her face, but it was still there… Only slightly visible, but still lasting. "It's just Key and Zoe…"

Her silence told me she wasn't totally confident with my response, but countered anyway. "They'll turn up eventually. Despite how they seem, they're both capable."

"I know."

Another silence came about as she stared at me, and I deliberately avoided her gaze.

"So what is it?" She asked, patient.

After a moment's thought, I turned to her once more. "I-"

A loud thump interrupted my sentence, sending both our sights towards the door. A sudden outburst of laughter followed soon after, setting our fears to rest.

"Those two seem to be getting on…" Amber observed.

"Mm. I should probably start on breakfast."

"You want some help?"

"You'll probably just end up setting something on fire." I replied, rising towards the door.

"I'll set you on fire." Came the mumbled response as I exited.

I started down the stairs, comfortable in the warm air that the heater provided. I reached the wooden floorboards and peered through the media room window. It was still snowing outside, covering the lawn in fresh powder.

As I turned towards the kitchen, a knock on the door stopped me in my tracks. My mind jumped through the suspects. The principal? Felix? And there the list ran out. Still a little groggy from the five or so mental chess games I had played that morning, I unlocked the door, and pulled it open.

Suit.

Before me stood a smart looking suit, with a somewhat scrawny young man taking up residence within it. Painfully blonde spikey hair covered his head, almost as if it had been bleached. But as I stared at his husky blue eyes, I couldn't help but sense some familiarity. I waited for him to speak.

"Good morning, does a David Verona live here?" His voice was cocky and sure.

I gave the man another once over before replying. "You're talking to him."

"Oh," It was his turn to examine me. He seemed dissatisfied. "Sorry, I just thought you'd be a bit… Well, older."

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, actually, I'm looking for… There she is."

I followed his gaze over my shoulder, to find Raven frozen on the steps. Raven? The uneasy familiarity struck me almost straight away. The husky blue eyes, the spikey hair… "Are you two related?"

Apparently having served my purpose, the man saw no need to answer my question. "So this is where you were. Do you know how long it took me to find you?"

The girl tensed, but didn't reply.

"Come along, dad's worried about you."

Dad. So they were siblings…

Raven stood bolt still, her gaze locked on her brother. "Don't bullshit me." Her voice came out eerily calm, in a way that I had never heard her speak before. "If he cared, he never would have let me see his face."

My weariness began to fade as I realised how serious the situation was, although I didn't quite understand it.

"Don't be ridiculous, we're family."

Isaac appeared at the top of the stairs, as if alerted to Raven's distress. "What's going on?" He spotted the shifty looking visitor and sharpened. "Raven? Wha-"

"It's nothing." She muttered.

Her unannounced brother seemed to take note of her reaction. "What's this? A boyfriend?"

"What do you want?" I asked, growing sick of his down talk.

His gaze shifted to one of distaste as he glared at me. "I want my sister to come home, where she belongs. Or would you prefer that I get the police involved? As I understand it, they are already quite fed up with you."

Isaac strode down the stairs, brushing past the redhead in subject. It was mere moments before he stood directly in front of the condescending kid. Because next to Isaac, he really did seem like a petty child. Where the Creeper stood tall and muscular, the unknown man was short and lanky, as if he had never worked a day in his life.

Having noticed this, the stranger stiffened slightly as he stared up at the boy.

"Why?"

The still unnamed, and somewhat unwelcome visitor, blinked a few times. "Why? What do you mean?"

"Why do you want her to come home?" Isaac repeated.

"Well, that's just… That's obvious, isn't it? I mean, she's my sister."

"So?"

"F- Families should be together…"

"If she believed that then you wouldn't have had to go looking for her."

"She doesn't have a say in wh-"

The now agitated hybrid grabbed hold of the man's collar, hoisting him from the ground effortlessly. "What was that?"

"Cut it out." Raven had crossed the room, and tugged at Isaac's sleeve. Although her voice was still a murmur.

"But-"

"Just put him down you fucking idiot."

Reluctantly, the Creeper set the suit down, but still maintained his intimidating demeanour. Raven seemed to think for a moment, before returning to her usual steeled self. She met her brother's gaze with a decisive trance. "I'll go." Before either of us had a chance to protest, she pushed out of the door, raising a hand behind her. "See you at school… Probably."

And with a cocky grin, the scrawny suited sibling stalked after her. "Do you want to drive?"

"Fuck off." Were the last words we picked up, before they both disappeared around the corner.

All at once, the house felt empty… Like it was too quiet. I looked over to Isaac. He seemed detached, still coming to terms with how things had just spiralled out of control. His eyes sharpened in annoyance as he let out a puff of air, before turning, and pacing out of the room.

_And then there were three._

* * *

**Perspective Change: The Unnamed Servant**

* * *

"Why?" She asked, perplexed.

"It's a sign of business, or a greeting. You use it when you meet someone new." I explained promptly.

She took my hand firmly, and shook it with a little too much vigour. I tried to ignore the uneasy feeling that the touch of her skin gave me and resisted slightly, until she adjusted her movements.

I nodded. "It's called a handshake."

"Of course it is." She let go with a groan and slumped back to the floor. "Humans are always so logical. Skyscraper, airplane, motorway, _handshake._ It pisses me off."

My effort was wasted in trying to retain a smirk. I covered it with a sentence. "Preparations have been made for your trip. You can leave whenever you're ready."

Her head lulled to look at me, honey blonde locks falling across her nose. "Something tells me you're anxious to get rid of me."

I smiled. "Not at all."

* * *

**Author Note:**

So, have some of our questions about Raven been answered? Or are we just more confused like usual? I sure am. The difference is you guys are probably thinking something along the lines of "What the fuck happened to her?" or "This is the tackiest backstory ever, what's even going on?". Meanwhile my thoughts are "What the hell am I supposed to write next? After all this is better be good. What kind of curve ball should I through at you guys next?"

Yeah, if I hadn't mentioned it before, I'm making this whole thing up as we go along. Who knows what's going to happen? :P

Reviews!

PBJFanFiction: Hahaha, _when _I become an author, I'll make sure you can get to everything, don't worry about that. And Hong Kong? I'm jealous. As for the Porsche, well, the driver was stabbed, twice. I'd say she lost control. Maybe I'll go back and add more description later on. Still, thanks for all the support! :)  
UncleInTheAttic: NOW HOLDS THE RECORD FOR MOST CHAPTERS READ IN A DAY! (Sorry PBJ) Donut Brigade? Love it. ***ATTIC I'm sooooooorrry. Thanks again long lost sibling, love you too. :D  
Mineking57: A "practiced grace" huh? Subtle, I like it. Look out for it when you see the first book on the shelves. And everyone ships Ravac? Better split 'em up then. ;)  
Ravac: OH GOD WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO RAVAC, THEY'VE BEEN SPLIT UP! I totally want to guess who you are, but I'd feel terrible if I got it wrong... :P  
DeathEpyon: Thanks for the support! I was unsure of how Zoe's development would be received. You were the only one who commented on it, so thanks. :)  
Torterra999: One does not. Unless they are adorable, and can teleport. :P  
ZenterX: To this date the vote for David's love interest remains known only to myself. However, your vote has been noted. :)  
commanderimf: No offence taken, I often go through periods of hating my characters as well. However, it's always important to have a variety so that the awesome characters look awesome next to the whiny ones. The Unspeaking is quite nice, however, I think UncleInTheAttic may be on to something. Thanks for the feedback, always appreciated. :)  
NekoLazy: Hmmmmm, not bad, but I think UncleInTheAttic might have hit the right note. :\/  
TheYinYang: YES SIR! :D  
TechAndIssy: You left so many reviews I don't even know what to reply to! But hey! Welcome back! Loving the new chapters on Fun with Blocks by the way, and it's great to meet you Issy. Thanks for all the support. AND ISAAC IS MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE. The battle begins. :D  
WiseguyJaco: Ouuuch. Ciao is french, rough translation to "See you later", although it can also be used as a greeting. Felix is a brand new character. Koridas was the OC you're referencing. As usual, thanks for the review, don't kill me. 3:  
Pale1357: doesn't allow the sharing of links for spam reasons, so I can't get to your work! D: Private message me if you still feel like sharing. :)  
Yukki Kazuto: Damn, if you actually manage to get six people in a Porsche, send me a picture. I won't believe it until you do. Don't worry, it may seem bleak at the moment, but there will be more Ravac to come. :)  
Prometheus: Teasing is the best foreplay. :'D  
Stunnington: Wooooah, you should write plot twists for a living. That's actually pretty good... But I've got something better in mind I'm afraid. :D Anime? Ooooof course. I must admit, I'm primarily a SAO fangirl, sorry. But my second favorite is Dusk Maiden of Amnesia, followed by Maid-Sama. Although a great ongoing series at the moment is Food Wars which is fucking hilarious. I mostly go for Romance / Comedy or anything with a beautiful story line. Actually, if you could suggest me a few series as well, I'd appreciate it. :)  
Chase1998: Sorry Chase, had to skip Key this time around. After all, suspense is the best plot development. :P

Huh, everyone got an emote tonight. Nice reviewing guys. As promised, I'll always reply to every single one, even if it takes me _hours__. _Still, looking forward to where this is going. And guys, don't worry if it takes me a while to update. It may take time, but unless the apocalypse hits, I'm committed to finishing this. As usual I love hearing your theories, so keep it up.

And as for our team name! Drum roll please... _**DONUT BRIGADE**_ UncleInTheAtitic came up with it. It's cute, it's original, it's unique. Unless anyone has any better ideas, this is now our team name. SPEAK NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE. Battle it out in the reviews. :J

Right, I'm outta here. Jess has been harassing me to watch Kiki's Delivery Service, so I better get around to it before she hits me again... Take it easy, and celebrate the small things in life. Watch anime, read fanfiction. After all, fantasy remedies reality.

Ciao.

\- Sylent


	25. Where else would I be?

**Author Note:**

"Greetings Doughnut Brigade!

So nice to finally 'meet' you guys. Excited for chapter 25? I bet you are, knowing how long it took.

Sorry about... the word structure of this Author note, as I have limited experience in writing them. I don't really know what to write either.

Sa-... I mean, Sylent, asked me to write this author note because laziness had fled over her, in case you were wondering. Now you are probably thinking; "Who is this?". Hehehehe, I am your worst nightmare... Jess! :3

So apparently I have a fan base. That's cool... I guess.

Anyways, Sylent here has started a new story. I'm in it, and apparently co-writing as well. Feel free to read it and give feedback.

Please continue to support this asshol- I mean, 'friend' of mine. #NoSylentJess. Also, feel free to leave as many reviews and pms about what ever your sweet heart desires. Hopefully they are about what you would like me to write in the next author note (If I ever write one again).

Enjoy! And Until next time,

This is Jess. :D"

*Cringes* Ahem, right, Sylent here again. And hoi, Jess, don't give away my name. Uncool burh, uncooooool. Yes, Jess and I started work on a new story. Don't worry though, I'll probably only work on it at school. It basically originated while we were building a ballista for our physics assignment, and we were like, "Hey, wouldn't it be awesome if a zombie apocalypse started right now."

PLOT LINE.

So, here is the special Father's Day update, which actually features somebody's father! *Gasp*

Enjoy.

Starting Perspective: Zoe

* * *

**"Where else would I be?"**

"Where are we?" I asked, hoping that the small truce between us would permit conversation.

The maimed hybrid flinched slightly at my words, but answered as we walked. "The, End."

My surprise was minimal, having already assumed as much. A hundred questions played out in my mind, but only one mattered. "Where's Key?"

"You mean, the Ender, girl?"

"Yes."

"Hopefully, dead."

I stopped, my heart sinking at the thought. But it didn't make sense, she could teleport away from any kind of danger, right? I knew I was lying to myself, but it didn't matter by that point.

The possessed hybrid kept walking. "For her sake, she's better off, dead."

My body tensed at his words… Despite what some may say, there were worse fates than death. But if she was alive… If she was alive then there was still a chance. But something else ticked at the back of my mind, another question. I hurried to catch up with him. "Why are you telling me this?"

Somehow his usually eerie silence became more unnerving, almost making me jump when his mouth began moving once more. "Dead men, need no secrets."

"Dead men?"

My question was left unanswered as a solitary spire distinguished itself from the mist. A dull purple shine identified the material as obsidian, something to be expected of a civilisation run by Endermen. The tower itself coasted high into the air, its peak only barely visible against the void black sky.

I paused, unsure of my approach. It's not as if I were going to be welcomed… But without Key, there was no way out of here. I needed to find her. My companion had already made it to the structure's base, and stared at the wall blankly. I stepped up beside him, still a little uncertain.

"Spider."

I glanced up at the boy. "Yes?"

The wall before us seemed to cave in on itself, creating an ornamental type of entrance. Inside, two Endermen stood on a large platform, cables strung on all sides that coiled upwards to an impressively large mechanism, the huge gears clunking away for no apparent reason. Between the two glossy black figures, stood a hybrid, almost entirely identical to the one who stood adjacent, discounting the missing limb of course.

Suddenly, I realised what the towers really were. They weren't homes, or armouries, or any other form of furnished building… They were elevators.

The new arrival paced forwards, stopping before the other of his kind.

My companion looked down to me, and for a moment, in those empty purple eyes… I thought I saw a spark. "You're being toyed with." He smiled, a genuine, hearty smile.

A pair of daggers slammed into his chest, tearing downwards across his torso with a sickening squelch and snap. Blood spewed from the coursing wound, spraying into the air and spattering against my cheek.

Before I had time to readjust my vacant examination, the pair of Endermen caught me by the shoulders. Not seeing a point in resistance, I stepped over the corpse, and let myself be lead inside. The seamless entrance caved in on itself, abandoning the remains of the fallen comrade as he collapsed into a heap of ash.

The mechanism clunked overhead and the landing jolted before beginning its decent. The darkness was no trouble for any of us, as our eyes adjusted quickly.

I looked up at the new arrival, who cleansed his double blades with a purple cloth. "Why'd you kill him?"

He paused, and spun the daggers around his fingers before pushing them into the sheaths by his belt. "He was unfit to serve."

I was somewhat surprised that his voice came smoother, more human like, but the thought wasn't my foremost. "Because he lost his arm?"

The hybrid looked down at me, a ferocious superiority chained within. "Because he failed."

A sudden ticking noise, followed by a whir and a thump, brought the platform to a halt, and once again the doors shuffled apart. A sudden intake of breath replied to the sight before me.

Buildings upon buildings stretched out into the distance, spiralling bridges, streets and staircases connecting them all into a sprawling mass. Upon each gigantic form were etched gargoyles and ornamental carvings that made every wall seem creepily alive, while strange floating cubes shed a subtle light across them. An elevator, much like the one we stood within, careened out of the bulk every hundred or so meters, soaring upwards into the void. Endermen and hybrids alike strolled the avenues and pathways, books and strange artefacts ladled within their arms.

It was all a dull purple, and it all hung suspended over an everlasting drop.

I was shoved forwards, as we began our march into the fray.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Raven**

* * *

His driving was painful.

Furthermore it was an automatic, which just added to my pre-cocked annoyance. He rounded the corner awkwardly, readjusting halfway through, after which he pressed down on the accelerator before levering off almost instantly. He hadn't improved at all since I last saw him, if anything, he had gotten worse.

Still, I wasn't about to take his place, no matter how antagonizing it was.

"So, what does he want?" I asked, my annoyance getting the better of me.

Matt, the brother who found it hard to concentrate on two things at once, waited until we came to a red light. "What do you mean?"

"Cut the bullshit."

A sigh escaped him. "You've gotten cockier since you left. Does it have something to do with that boy?"

My mind ran back to Isaac, but I quickly swept it under the rug. "Stop being a fucking prick and tell me what the bastard wants."

"Now now, is that anyway to talk about your father?"

I reached for one of my hatchets.

"H- He's got a few high risk jobs pilling up." Matt hurried, fearing for his welfare.

I should've known. "Not interested, tell him to get someone else."

"I told him you wouldn't be, but he insisted."

The traffic signal flicked to green, and we started forwards with a jolt. Several minutes passed as we crossed through town, passing shopfronts and house porches. It wasn't long before we neared the outskirts, where my brother pressed his foot down a little further.

Once we had cleared the region of barren wheat fields, the sand coloured mansion loomed in the distance. It was large, but almost blended in with its desolate surroundings. The hillside on which it was built was primarily sandstone after all. As we neared, the large steel security gates swung open and Matt passed through them narrowly, taking his time to find space on the large tarmac driveway.

The purr of the engine rounded off, dying down to a whisper before cutting out altogether. Matt looked over to me as my stare became vacant. "He's waiting for you in the study."

I sighed. With each passing breath the sun rose a little higher. The thought made me want to stop breathing… A second later, I flipped the doorhandle and stepped out. The cool winter wind ruffled my hair, flashing red across my vision. My gaze fell to the unnecessarily large oak door, which rested closed within its frame.

I clenched my fist, cracking my knuckles in the process. A moment later, I took a step forwards. Reaching the door, I forced it open and set foot within the familiar hall. An uneasy shiver swept across my skin, but I ignored it and kept on my path.

The stretching hallways were laden with exquisite paintings and odd sculptures, things that I had admired once, but now only rendered disgust. I only paused once more, in front of the entryway at the end of the hall. I knew precisely what lay waiting for me… But I also knew that this world was a lot bigger than it had been before. Somehow the task didn't seem as daunting as it had been on every other occasion.

I smirked, and rounded the corner, taking up a firm stance.

The room was simple enough. An opaque curtain shielded the wide windows adjacent, while heavily loaded bookcases lined each side. Within the centre, atop of a faded Persian rug, sat a substantial wooden desk. And behind that desk was a tall black leather chair, which held a man. The man was no unordinary sight. His worn figure was clad in a stripped gentleman's jacket and well-groomed white beard, which clung to his face neatly. He held a focused gaze through his gold rimmed glasses towards the paper in his hands.

My jaw clenched involuntarily, but I held my ground as he kept me waiting.

"Where were you?" He muttered calmly.

The very sound of his voice made me recoil. A forced sense of superiority accompanied every syllable, making me squeamish. I dug my fingernails into my palm, resisting the urge to throw a tomahawk at him. "Not here."

The empowered geezer looked up. "I need you to run a few errands."

"I'm not interested."

"I'll cut you off."

"I don't need you anymore."

A silence enveloped the room.

"How will you support yourself?" He started.

"I don't need to."

"Don't tell me you plan to stay at that boy's house forever."

I kept quiet, giving him all the answer he needed.

"If you don't do this for me, I'll have him killed."

The statement hung in the air. It wasn't the first time I it had been uttered… And I doubted it would be the last. This was why it was better not to have friends… And yet I still made the same mistake every time. "I'll kill you one day."

"And then your little tribe of savages gets blown to bits. We've discussed this before."

My mind leapt back to the reservation…

I let out a deep breath. "What am I driving?"

* * *

**Perspective Change: Amber**

* * *

"Here she is! The criminal! I knew she was one of them from the start!"

I sighed and pulled the door shut behind me. As usual, the entire class waited expectantly for my retort, but I wasn't in the mood. "Can we not do this today?" I replied wearily to the plump fur clad woman.

With the amount of animal skin on her, it was difficult to tell exactly what type of beast it came from. "Oh, that's cute, the criminal thinks she can get away without being questioned!"

I rubbed at my eyes with the back of my hand, trying to ward off exhaustion. "The only thing criminal here-" yawn, "-is your fashion sense."

Blood rushed to her forehead as her beady eyes scrunched into their sockets. "Honestly, you're a disgrace to this school, you car thief, you slut!" She paused to consider her next line of attack. "It won't be long before you're expelled, they've already started the process!"

"Do you ever shut up?" I asked, plunking down in my seat and throwing my heels onto the desk. I tried to ignore the way Jacob glanced at my legs. You'd have thought he'd learned his lesson by now.

"If you hadn't noticed, _I'm _the teacher, what I say goes!"

A sudden urge to sneeze overwhelmed me, which I obliged before replying. "You're the teacher? You haven't exactly _taught _anything since I started here."

"That's because you're always interrupting my lessons and distracting your classmates! I mean just look at the revealing position you're in!"

"Distracting? You're the only one yelling here."

"You distracting the boys by flaunting your womanly assets!"

"Flaunting my womanly assets?" I glanced at my raised legs, and then at the boys in the room, a handful of which stared hungrily. A shiver of realisation crept down my spine. I rolled my eyes, pushing the thought away. "You're saying it's my fault if they get turned on? Instead of yelling at me why don't you try taming them for a change?" A new concept ticked into my mind, which prompted a sly smile. "Or, don't tell me… You're jealous?"

A slight graze hit her puffy cheeks. "J- Jealous? Don't be ridiculous. Who would be jealous of an ugly brat like you?"

"I'm ugly?"

"Terrifyingly so." She chuckled.

"Well, I guess that means I don't have any 'assets' to 'flaunt', right?"

"Righ-" Her confirmation broke off suddenly as she realised her contradiction.

I sighed. "Honestly, for a teacher you're pretty fucking stupid."

A few brave students spared a small laugh at the comment, before an evil glare from the opposition shut them down. I took the time to glance at the blond haired boy near the front. Felix, I think his name was. He seemed to be scribbling ferociously in his notebook. As if feeling my gaze, he looked up awkwardly, and glanced around.

My fingers curled into a small wave within the silence of the room. I little colour rushed to his cheeks as he shyly waved back.

The entire class, which had just witnessed the interaction, burst into a series of mutterings as rumours began to take shape. I let out a pained growl as I threw my head back to stare at the roof. "This world is so fucked up."

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

I watched on blankly as fresh snow fell from above. The classroom always had a different feel to it when weather came into play. Somehow it felt quieter, more lazy. Although if I listened closely, I could hear the constant bickering of Amber's class from down the hall.

It felt as though I hadn't spent much time with her recently, which made sense with how much was going on… The only time we really saw each other was in the evenings. It annoyed me slightly, but there were other things to worry about.

Raven didn't turn up at all that day. And by the last few periods, Isaac was a mess. It was like he didn't know what to do with himself. He didn't have anyone to annoy, or stave off his boredom. The girls that surrounded him still prattled on like old women, but it didn't take a genius to tell that the Creeper wasn't interested.

"Hey, Isaac, you want to go out with us sometime?" One of the blonde bitchy girls asked.

"Huh, yeah… Sure."

She ignored his lacking enthusiasm and lit up with a smile. "Great! How 'bout this afternoon?"

The Creeper gave a small gesture in return. "Can't wait."

The final bell sounded a few minutes later, where the girls rushed ahead of him, planning to meet him outside.

I shook my head in disbelief as I approached the slumped figure. "You know, you don't have to go with them."

He seemed to jump a little at the comment. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Because you like Raven."

Saying it out loud seemed to be too much for him. He stood up swiftly and threw his blazer over his shoulder. "Don't be stupid. That idiot can do whatever she wants." He pushed out the door without another word.

Well, I suppose it was true. She had left voluntarily… Still, it made me wonder what kind of family she had. Her brother had threatened to go to the police after all…

It was now that I realised how alone I was. How alone we all were. It wasn't so long ago that we were all together, but it seemed the last few days had turned against us. Key and Zoe were still missing, Raven had left us behind, and although we were still together, Amber and Isaac seemed worlds apart.

"Deep in thought?"

I looked up to find the classroom empty, excluding a short man and I. A sigh escaped me as I slipped into my blazer. "A lot's been going on."

The principal nodded. "Seems that way." An empty silence echoed through the room. "I'm taking a few weeks leave. Thought I might go traveling."

I gave a weak smile, noticing that another friend was about to split away. "Send us a few postcards."

He smiled back, reading my thoughts. "Of course. My replacement should be starting tomorrow." His tone dropped to a more serious note. "All behaviour correction is being handed over to her, so whether or not you end up expelled, will be up to the new principal and the school board."

"Her?"

"Mm… Her." His face took on a slight perverted charm.

I laughed. "Right. Well, enjoy your trip."

He bobbed his head as he started out the door. "Try not to get into any more trouble."

By that point I didn't have it in me to respond. I waited until the stairs creaked under his weight, before glancing around the room once more. A tinge of familiarity clung to the wallpaper. It was odd, this feeling. It always used to be like this, but it had never bothered me before. I dragged my chair back out, and sat down.

It occurred to me that only a week had passed since I moved on from my hopelessly secluded life. And yet, it felt like a lifetime. Of course the lifetime was beginning to come to a close, leaving me dead once more.

"Hey."

I looked over to the door, where Amber stood waiting. "Hey."

It took her a split second to recognise my mood. She wandered inside, and pulled up a chair next to me. A few moments passed as I returned my attention to the falling snow beyond the window panes. I didn't really know what to think anymore. I always felt so in control, but now…

White strands fell across my chest as Amber rested her head on my shoulder. My pulse quickened slightly, but I soon relaxed into the position. Her gentle breathing stole my focus away.

"I obviously didn't train you well enough." She spoke softly.

My mind leapt back to her lessons within Minecraft, where she taught me to trust my instincts and control my body.

She nudged me with her head. "Amber's life changing lesson part two. You ready?"

I looked down to her, catching her gaze. "Sure."

A slight smile put me at ease. "Don't worry so much."

Several seconds passed as I waited for her to continue. When she didn't, I gave her an unsatisfied glance. "Was that it?"

She sat up straight, partially annoyed. "What do you mean 'Was that it'? That was great wisdom."

My mouth tugged upwards into a smirk. "_Wow,_ I understand life _so _much better now. You are truly a genius beyond your years."

"It's true." She nodded, ignoring my sarcasm.

The girl in white held the same playful expression on her face, as she stared into my eyes. I stared back, ignoring the rest of the world.

_'__I'm glad you're still here.'_

Her eyes crinkled a little. _'Where else would I be?' _A moment passed as she filed through my worries. _'You just want to protect everyone…'_

_'__I guess so.'_

She took on a cocky grin. _'Then stop being such a fucking wimp. Do what you know is right.'_

A laugh escaped me. "You were being pretty cute up until you said that."

Her cheeks reflected a shine of crimson as she pummelled a fist into my arm. "D- Don't call me cute."

"Whatever you say, _darling._"

A promise of death was her only reply.

* * *

**Author Note:**

So I spent the last few days at school camp. It was interesting, to say the least. All about _leadership, _and training us to be the new representatives next year. If I'm honest, it was inspiring. In fact it made me consider running for school captain. But then I remembered my grand total of seven written reflections, three after school detentions and multiple letters home for "unacceptable behavior".

At the moment I'm sitting in the living room of my grandfathers house. The fire's simmering cozily, the family is talking about cattle for some reason, and I'm quite happy to be entitled to a glass of 1976 Kellermeister Sable, which is absolutely exquisite. Ooo, I sounded quite posh for a moment there. It's nice, my dad just arrived home after working overseas for a few years, so I'm a little unsure of how to act... But he's usually spontaneous and fun, so I'm looking forward to it. Oop, looks like we're going home, I'll finish this once I get back.

*Dooodalooodadooo dooodalooodadooo*

Hm, that took a little longer than expected. We stopped to watch a house go up in flames. It was abandoned, and at this time of the year somebody must have held a match to it. But it was pretty cool. Houses burn quickly.

Reviews!

EnderCreepers: Woah! Awesome! Thank you!  
Justination: I'm glad. There are plenty more coming, I assure you.  
KaosPotatoGamer: Wooooooooooooooooooooot. I'm really glad that I could stand up for your friend and fan fictions in general! Although I'm not gonna lie, I can see where you might have gotten that idea... Still, glad to have you on board! :D  
dhorvat: Why thank you.  
Striker1298: Sadly, in my far away, freedom lacking land, our school system is devoid of the mystic 'summer'. We have three week long holidays every term instead, and ten weeks at Christmas. Which I prefer from the time I spent in the states.  
DeathEpyon: I sympathize with you entirely. It takes great dedication to write a hundred and twenty words on Xbox. You may just be the most dedicated fan I've ever seen. They really need to figure out a better keyboard system! Still, your questions will be answered eventually, I assure it. :)  
ZenterX: Hey, thanks heaps. I'll try my best to update quickly. Ciao. :)  
The D0ctor: You should probably see someone about that... :P  
commanderimf: Hahahaha, who knows? My gender may remain forever a secret. But I can understand how I would be hard to picture as anything other than a guy... Good luck figuring it out. :D  
Stunnington: But what Sir Stunnington didn't expect was that I would expect him to expect that I would expect he wouldn't expect that I would fulfill his request somewhere within the next few chapters. ;)  
Yukki Kazuto: Ehhhhh? What's wrong with Carter? I put a lot of effort into thinking up a good name... And after it didn't work, I got frustrated and used the first name I could think of. ':D  
TheYinYang: Yeah, there's definitely a problem with the amount of characters... I know! We'll just have to kill some off! Muhahahahahahaha.  
WiseguyJaco: If you were trying to reassure me... You failed. Now I'm just more terrified of you. And more Raven development to come! Promise.  
UncleInTheAttic: A few other people submitted ideas, but yours was the best by far. more importantly, YOU'RE IN A MARCHING BAND SHOW!?1 What's it called, what's it called!? Also I laughed out loud, because I actually subconsciously imitated you when you got excited. Later "brother". :D  
PBJFanFiction: Thanks for the mistake fix. Sailing? Man, I've always wanted to try it, but I've never had the time to learn. I can drive most things with an engine though. Maybe I'll take sailing up some day soon. I googled SHK Island. It looks beautiful. I've put it on my list of places to travel to. :)  
Prometheus: Except you're shady as fuck. :P  
Chase1998: Hahaha, Raven's section is coming up soon, so it'll hopefully answer a few questions. But yeah, as for A Fool's Conviction, I may end up discontinuing it, mostly just because I want to focus on Endergirl. Oh well, we'll see.  
Mineking57: That was probably just Sky. And look what you've done! Now Jess has been making fun of #SylentJess. Nice one. :P  
TechAndIssy: NOW HOLDS THE RECORD FOR MOST CHAPTERS READ IN A DAY. ALSO DO YOU GUYS HAVE A SOCIAL LIFE BECAUSE THIS IS LIKE THE THIRD TIME YOU'VE DONE THIS. And hell, at this point anything could happen with Raven. WRITE FASTER.

Holy crap, you know it takes me like half an hour to respond to all of these. It occurs to me I actually shared a bit about my life in these author notes... Hmmmmmmm. And hey, just a quick heads up, I'll be trying something new in the next chapter, so pay attention. That's all for now.

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooodnight all. Take care.

\- Sylent


	26. You're strong now

**Author Note:**

"Sylent's a girl! Sylent's a girl!" The Donut Brigade raged in the reviews.

Let's play a little game.

One solemn day, as chapter sixteen reached the shelves of ... A particular guest made a particular comment... Now, nobody would notice at the time, but one day Sylent would use this particular comment to thoroughly confuse the fuck out of everyone once more. What did the unnoticed review entail?

I wonder...

Starting Perspective: Raven

* * *

**"_You're strong now._"**

* * *

**Time Leap: Four years ago**

* * *

"It's about your mother," the weary officer began. He looked around awkwardly, but his co-workers avoided his gaze. A puff of air escaped from his tough beard. "She's dead."

"Dead?" I asked, curious.

The heavy built man shifted stiffly. "She was shot."

I stared up into his skipping eyes, confused. "Shot?"

He lowered himself down to my height, which was an uncooperative balance between kneeling and standing. A semi-suspended crouch was the result. His heavy hand fell on my shoulder. "We don't know exactly what's happened yet, but your father is going to be taking care of you for a little while."

"Dead…" The word held no meaning. Dead meant gone, but she had only been gone for a few hours. I didn't miss her yet. I had seen her this morning. But dead meant she wasn't coming back. "Mom, is dead?"

"Look kid,"

"I'm not a kid."

"Right, sorry. Your father should be here soon."

I looked over his shoulder, between the two others who were with him, watching the street that ran past the foot of our stairs. "My father?"

"Yeah…" The bearded policeman gave me a sceptical look. "You've met him before, right?"

I shook my head.

He stood up, pressing his fingers to his eyelids and muttering something under his breath. The arrival of a heavy black jeep interrupted his ramblings. He looked over his shoulder as the driver's side door sprung open. "Here he is now."

A smartly dressed man, who was far too young to be my father, stepped out of the car and stood straight by the bottom step. "We'll be taking Raven now, if that's okay."

The officer, who suddenly seemed a little defensive, peered through to the passenger seat, where another figure sat. Peppered white hair and the beginnings of a beard gave off a sense of superiority, which pressed in from all sides. His attire was somewhat old fashioned, a stripped gentleman's jacket and gold rimmed sunglasses. I half expected him to pull out a pocket watch.

"Great, if Mr. Carter will just sign… Where's that clipboard?" One of the officers passed over a thin plaque, a few sheets of paper attached. "If Mr. Carter will just sign off on that, he'll take full custody." The beard finished.

The suited driver turned and delivered the item to 'Mr. Carter'. A flick of a pen later, the form returned. The back seat was held open for me.

I looked unsurely to the policeman, who avoided my eyes, and then to the chauffeur. "Right now? Can I- Can I pack some clothes, or…"

"No need, we can go shopping later." After noticing the dismay on my face, he continued. "You have to understand, your father is _very _busy. We must be going."

I gave an uneasy nod, trying not to think of all the things I treasured in the building behind me. Within a few hesitant steps I turned around to the officer. "The stove, if you could turn it off… And the lights upstairs too…" I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. "And don't forget to lock up." My voice was shaky.

He nodded, offering a weak smile. "You got it kid."

"I'm not a kid…"

"Miss Carter, please." The driver prompted.

The last glance at our home was blurry one.

* * *

We drove for hours, without so much as a word spoken. I had long ago exhausted my supply of tears, leaving me simply curled up in the back seat. The man who claimed to be my father offered no comfort and no introduction. Time was only measurable by the digital clock on the dash, and the scrolling scenery, which had turned to desert long ago.

Not a soul in sight, as far as the eye could see. Occasionally a weltered shrub would pass us by, but anything else was a mirage soon forgotten.

In an uncharacteristic moment, 'Mr. Carter' spoke up. "This is far enough." His voice was deep and foreboding.

The jeep, which had been cruising along steadily over the speed limit, began to slow, before stopping altogether. I uncurled myself, and glanced out the window, expecting to see something new. But to my surprise, nothing had changed. The dusty terrain seeped outwards in all directions, a solemn road fracturing the two halves apart.

The back door opened suddenly. I hadn't noticed the driver step out. I looked to the white haired man, although I already knew my questioning was a waste of time. Reluctantly, I stepped out into the blazing heat. When I had separated from the vehicle, the chauffer retreated inside. Soon after, the passenger window scrolled down.

"You're approximately four hundred k's from any mapped civilization." My father reported. "This particular road is one of the least travelled in the country, you won't find it on any GPS." Although most would struggle to find a more serious tone, he seemed to be accustomed to the feat. "I don't need a weak brat living off my fortune. Become stronger and find me again. Then we can talk about why I had your mother killed."

At that moment, I couldn't quite understand what he was saying. It was only when the window slid back into place, and the rear wheels threw up dust, that the reality became clear.

They were leaving me here.

I ran after the departing vehicle, almost tripping over myself in the process. But within seconds, it faded into a distant speck on the horizon. I watched it go until it became nothing but a shimmer of light.

The sun-baked asphalt dug at my skin as I fell to my knees.

LINE BREAK

By the time I found it within myself to stand, it was already nearing dusk. My mind was hazy, but I had I knew I needed to focus.

The desert…

The name stirred the memory of a recent lesson. My geology teacher, Miss Beswick, said that deserts ran cold at night, sometimes below freezing. Several other facts followed, some unnecessary, some excruciatingly important.

The most pressing was the thought of water. My throat was already parched and I knew it should be my foremost concern. An average human male can last three days without water. Sadly, with my body, I was neither average, nor male. It made me regret wasting so many tears. I tried to recall every inch of space that had been covered on the way here, but for the life of me I could remember no sightings of the liquid in question.

Four hundred kilometres…

I ran a quick calculation in my head. Presuming I walked from sunrise to sunse- No… Deserts were infamous for their nocturnal predators. I corrected my plan. Presuming I walked from sunset to sunrise, without break. I may just be able to cover fifty kilometres or so a day, and that was being optimistic. If I slept under the sun, it would give me a chance to recharge my batteries. Four hundred by fifty…

At best, it would take me eight days to walk my way out of here.

Without food and water, that was eight days I didn't have.

I looked out into the wasteland. The shimmering heat made it difficult to define any clear shapes, but as the sunset glanced across the barren landscape, I could have sworn I saw a glimpse of something. What it was, I couldn't be sure, but it certainly didn't fit in with its dusty ridden surroundings.

I had to decide quickly before I lost its direction. If I followed the road back, I might get lucky, somebody could pick me up. But on an unmarked road in the middle of nowhere, which is what 'Mr. Carter' had suggested… Well the chances were close to zero. Or, I could risk trying to find something of use in these plains. Maybe a water hole…

My mind ticked over to another fact. Cactus. Cacti were a wealth of water and were most commonly found in this type of biome… If I could find one of those, I might be able to make it.

Without giving myself time to reconsider, I started off in the rough direction of the strange sighting, away from the road. A few steps later, I turned and made a quick marking in the sand, just in case I somehow wound back here.

And then I was off.

* * *

**Time Leap: Two days later**

* * *

"Nothing." I gazed around at the dust cloaked emptiness. "Not a single, _fucking_, thing."

Swearing had become a way to cope with my continuing misfortune. My mother would have been disappointed, but I'm sure she would understand, given the circumstances. I vacantly noticed that my self-analysis had started again. Judging every movement as if I were a third party.

My throat was parched, my lips were dead and peeling, my skin had long ago welted into a serious burn and my once orange hair had taken on a considerable tinge of blonde. Thanks to the blisters on my soles, every step was like jumping on needles, slowing me down considerably.

"Shouldn't have left the road." My hoarse voice repeated for the hundredth time. "Should not, have left, the road."

I had attempted to retrace my steps, of course, but I wasn't exactly a tracker. In fact if I were wandering around in circles, I would be completely oblivious. The thought would've worried me, if it wasn't the ten billionth time I had stumbled across it.

"Become _stronger!_" I mocked.

Even if I could cry, the despair of losing my mother had far surpassed the barrier of hate. I wasn't sad.

I was angry.

But of course there was nothing I could do about it. I wasn't going to survive. It was impossible. I hadn't found a single thing of use, and I doubt I ever would.

It occurred to me how useless society really was.

It was a wild claim, and extremely random compared to the topic I was just on. But my thoughts weren't clear, they were jumping and jolting, with no order or sense. Was this a case of trauma induced rampancy? Was that a condition I had just made up? I couldn't be sure…

But for some reason, despite the fact that I had identified myself as dead and insane, I _couldn't _stop walking. One foot in front of the other, for the last thousand steps, and the thousand before them. It was the equivalent of knowing there was no lasagne left in the fridge, but proceeding to check every shelf anyway. It was hopeless, but I still pushed forwards.

My eyes fell back to the ground, where they usually resided. Dust, dust, dust. Dust everywhere. The occasional stone… A lifeless shrub. And those tire tracks…

I blinked and stood still.

Tire tracks?

Right beneath my feet, where a set of pristine tracks, pressed into the tough ground. They must have been recent, or they would have been swept away by the wind. And there were only one pair… I looked left, and then right, but my lazy vision saw nothing but horizon.

A flicker of sunlight signified dawn, prompting a wispy sigh. I couldn't keep this up much longer…

I practically fell to the ground, before I tumbled into a tortured slumber.

* * *

**Time Leap: Five days later**

* * *

For a moment, I was comfortable, but a few seconds later I became concerned about the lack of red dust. The roof above me was made of a dull clay, which seemed too smooth in some places, and too rough in others. A faint breeze created a type of metallic chatter from somewhere… I lulled my head to the side, looking out the open door to find a wind chime swaying calmly in the wind.

"You're awake." A strong, yet tranquil voice spoke.

I whipped my around, but instantly regretted it as my taught skin shrieked in pain.

"Easy," the man advised "you're scorched to the bone."

My head tilted a little further, to analyse the voice's owner. His skin was a darkened, with a hint of red near his cheekbones. His hair, greying, tied in a long braid down his back. And his features, were kind and enduring. I would have guessed him to be within his late fifties or early sixties, due to the wrinkles that creased his face.

"Wh-" I tried, but my voice came out in a croak. I cleared it, and tried once more. "Who are you?"

The man gave a pleasant smile, and closed the magazine that he had been reading. "The others call me Naat'áanii, but you can call me Frank."

I regarded the stranger with a distanced glance. "Naa, tanee?" Came my attempt, my brain still somewhat fuzzed.

A hearty chuckle escaped him. "Naat'áanii."

"Naat'áanii." I corrected.

"You're quick. It means leader."

"Leader of who?"

His mouth curved to a grin. "You're a curious one. There you were, ready to cross over, and instead you decide to wake up and bombard me with questions."

I didn't offer an apology as I settled back down on the firm mattress, realising how sore I really was. My mind was clear enough, however, to notice he hadn't answered my query.

A whisper of footsteps entered the room, had I not been looking, I wouldn't have noticed him until he spoke. "Father, the well ha-" A pause came as he noticed my presence.

I took the time to study the boy.

He was young, although still perhaps a year or two older than me. His complexion was slightly lighter than that of his father, but the kind features were still the same. Gone were the wrinkles however, in their stead were the beginnings of toned muscle. Similarly the greying hairline was replaced with a dusty black. His hazel rimmed eyes swept across mine, but looked away hurriedly.

"Ahh, perfect timing." The older man exclaimed. "This is my son, Gaagii."

The boy seemed to hesitate, before nodding my way. "I… Didn't think you'd wake up."

"I'm still not sure if I have." I replied, the whole situation seeming awfully surreal. "But my name's Raven."

The boy's eyes widened as Frank gave a small snigger. "Of course it is." The elderly man muttered, standing.

They seemed to have no intention of sharing whatever it was that prompted such a reaction, so I decided to leave it be. Instead I focused on my next question. "Where am I?"

Frank held out his hand. "Why don't you come see?"

* * *

**Time Leap: Two weeks later**

* * *

Life on a reservation was tough.

But it was rewarding. Every day there was something new to learn, or something different to do. Especially with the way they handed me around.

"Finding your true talent." Naat'áanii, for I had given up calling him Frank, had summarized.

One day I was collecting firewood, the next I was crafting jewellery. The survival of the small community, which was often referred to as a tribe, relied on the participation of every member. The amount of tasks was monumental, but each day, as dusk began to settle, my supervisor would recommend me to someone else for the next day.

They were all kind people. Terribly kind people. It didn't matter that my skin didn't match, or my customs were different. They simply accepted it and encouraged me to continue. But being so kind, they couldn't tell me I was shit at something. It was beginning to piss me off, that same calm smile that was always followed by, "So and so might appreciate your skills tomorrow," in varying degrees of English.

Naat'áanii said I could stay as long as I wanted, so long as I did my part. But right now, I was the joker in a game of Old Maid. Honestly, what was I supposed to d-

"Raven."

I almost jumped out of my skin as I looked up to find Gaagii standing awkwardly before the log that served as my bench. That was another thing that was pissing me off. His sudden and undetectable appearances.

"What?" I bit, a little annoyed that he had interrupted my train of thought."

He seemed a little taken aback, unsure. "You're with me today."

I sighed. "What are we doing? Embroidery?" It would seem the sour attitude that I had developed out in the desert, was unshakable.

He lifted his shoulder slightly, bringing my attention to the rifle that hung from it. "Hunting."

My interest was piqued. More by the prospect of exactly what game could be found in this wasteland, rather than the shooting of it. I stood. "Lead the way."

LINE BREAK

We wandered for a while. Mostly trailing the canopy of dusted trees that miraculously withstood the heat surrounding the village. It wasn't all bad, in fact it was quite fun. Gaagii became a different type of person when he had a job to do. His stance was more rigid, more taught, and he hardly ever made a sound. His tread was so quiet, that I felt ashamed every time a leaf crackled under my shoe. Occasionally, he would hold up a hand, and we would crouch to the ground in dead silence. But a few seconds later, the walk resumed, uneventful.

When we broke for lunch, which was packed sandwiches, I questioned him. "Are you sure there's even anything around here?"

He nodded as he took another bite. "Cottontails."

My 'A+' in biology identified the creature as a type of rabbit. Knowing already that he wasn't a conversationalist, I didn't wait for him to continue, instead coming up with a different topic. "What's that?" I waved my sandwich at an item clipped to his belt.

He followed my line of interest, before pulling the object free from its hold. "It's a tomahawk." He flipped the small axe over to present me the handle. "Father gave it to me for my ninth birthday. I've never really used it though…"

I took the weapon curiously. It was lighter than I thought it would be. The curved wooden handle ran a short distance upwards before splitting to support a thin metal blade. I could tell it was sharp, but I ran my finger along its edge anyway. Sure enough, a small slit opened up on my thumb.

"What are you doing?" He asked, pulling the weapon away from me.

I stuffed the remainder of my meal into my mouth, and replied through bites. "Staving off boredom."

The boy shook his head in disbelief.

Something occurred to me, causing a hurried gulp of food. "Why do you even need to go hunting anyway? I mean, you've got bread and stuff that you bought from the shops right?"

It had been a miracle of course, that my last day in the desert had corresponded with the tribe's monthly shopping trip. They had found me laying right in the middle of their road, on the brink of death.

"It's better not to depend on stuff like that. Sometimes we don't have enough for everything we need. Extra food doesn't hurt."

He made sense, I spouse.

Suddenly, there was a rustle a few trees over, leaves crunching under some weight. We both froze, slowly turning to follow the noise. Gaagii hefted the old rifle gradually as a small black snout protruded from a trunk. I held my breath as the game peaked a little further from its hiding place.

Just a little further…

A nerve-jarring crack rang out as he tugged at the trigger. The muzzle flashed and a split second later the bullet threw up dust beside the target's paws. Within an instant the animal was bounding into the distance. Gaagii cocked the rifle and went for a recovery shot, the muzzle flashing once more. Dust flew into the air, and the rabbit changed directions.

"It's going to get away!" I yelled, searching for some way to prevent the happening.

Without even thinking, I stood, grabbed for the tomahawk by his belt, flexed it over my shoulder, and let it fly. It toppled end over end, curling in a tight arc before slamming blade first into a tree trunk.

A moment of silence passed before Gaagii glanced at me, soon pacing after the projectile with a sceptical look on his face. Oh come on… Even from this distance, it was obvious that the tree wasn't the only thing I hit.

I smiled smugly.

* * *

**Time Leap: Three months later**

* * *

I spun in a quick circle, letting my tomahawks swing outwards to push him back. As expected, Gaagii leapt out of the way, much to the excitement of our crowd.

It had become a sort of tradition, the tribe's evening entertainment. Every night, ever since I found my true talent, Gaagii and I faced off in a battle of blades. How flamboyant that sounded. Of course talent wasn't everything… My always returning opponent had not yet lost a match, leaving me as the everlasting underdog.

I parried his sideswipe and pressed forwards to swing one of my own.

"Get him girl!" Naat'áanii shouted from the sidelines.

The exceedingly elusive boy spun around my blade and trapped it against my chest with his own body, proceeding to press his tomahawk against my throat with one arm, and prevent my escape with the other. He gave a cocky smile, some of my confidence having brushed off onto him. "You're getting better."

Our breathing was heavy as the applause began. I smiled back, not all too upset about losing again. "I almost had you that time."

"Sure you did, birdie."

The nickname had come about when he insisted that a name like Raven was much too cool for me. Naturally it pissed me off, but after a while, I got used to it. As he lowered his weapon, the day's exhaustion finally began to get to me, as it did every night after duelling with him. I let my forehead rest against his chest, still taking in air at an increased rate. We stayed like that for a while, until the crowd dispersed and lights began to flicker off.

I enjoyed this feeling. Even if I lost every night, this was still a small victory. I suppose we had gotten closer, hunting every day and fighting every night. In a way, it was another puzzle piece to my happiness. Life was so carefree here. There were no deadlines or disasters, no governments or authorities, apart from Naat'áanii, who was more of an advisor anyway. It was simple, and beautiful…

'Then we can talk about why I had your mother killed!' My father yapped inside my head.

I recoiled, and took a step back.

Gaagii gave me a worried look. "What's wrong?"

I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the image. "Nothing."

His arms wrapped around my waist, detaining me as he searched for the truth. Hazel rimmed eyes studied my husky blues. It was clear that I wasn't leaving until I told him. A sigh escaped me, as it often did when such things came to mind. "I can't stay here forever, is all."

"Why not?"

"There's something I have to do…"

"What is it?"

I remained silent, hoping he would get the message.

He didn't. "Raven? What's going on?"

It occurred to me that people quite often dropped nicknames when conversation took a more serious note. Briefly I wondered at why, before I decided it wasn't terribly important. I often discarded the ramblings of my mind now. They were useless out here. "Can we not talk about it, please?" I asked softly, returning to reality.

He retreated a little, realizing that he had been pressuring me. "S- Sorry."

I reached for his hands and placed them back on my waist, not wanting to scare him away. He was still a little awkward at times, a little shy. The boy stared at me, searching for meaning. I met his gaze, wondering how he would respond.

Tentatively, I was pulled closer, until there was barely any space between us at all. I could feel the warmth of his skin, and hear each hesitant breath. I closed my eyes, exhilarated, but also a little afraid. A second later…

His lips pressed against mine.

It seemed too short when we parted, a heartbeat of a moment, a flash of time. But it left me silent, not really wanting to say anything, or do anything. But finally I let my eyes stare up into his. "Was that your first…" my question trailed off.

He tilted his head a little. "No. Was it yours?"

"O- Of course not." I lied.

* * *

**Time Leap: Six months later**

* * *

A tough hand on my arm lifted me from my slumber. As my hazy vision began to clear, I recognised Naat'áanii hovering next to my bed.

"Wake up girl, there's something I want to show you."

I nodded and moved to lift the blanket, but paused as my mind focused just enough to remember I wasn't wearing much beneath it. My eyes flashed upwards. "Let me just get dressed."

His already flushed cheeks brightened a little further. "Right." He made his way out of my one room home, waiting outside.

The whole tribe had helped build the tiny house. It took a few days, but everybody kept a smile as they worked. It was fun, it was interesting. Something out of the ordinary that everyone enjoyed. Of course most of them were just looking forward to the after party, which consisted of a large barbeque and a roast, but I couldn't really blame them.

I pulled the blanket away from my bare skin and stood, letting my eyes readjust to the darkness. I slipped into my underwear, which I had gone through the trouble of venturing on a monthly shopping trip for, and fitted one of my baggy shirts. Hand-me-down jeans clad my legs, which required a thick leather belt to hold them up. The final touch was my tomahawks, wooden handled with tempered steel blades, secured to each hip.

I met Naat'áanii outside. He said nothing as we started towards our unknown destination. This was not uncommon. The man often turned up unexpectedly, wanting to show me sacred sites or teach some odd lesson. I often felt like an adopted child, which in some senses I suppose I was. But something felt a little different tonight. He seemed more serious, more determined, like it was a decision he had spent a long time making.

As we tracked through the dry shrubbery, something distantly familiar droned in the distance. With each passing minute the noises grew louder and more menacing. After being separated from their groaning for so long, the roar of car engines became strangely foreboding. I caught a glimpse of a taillight behind the fading canopy.

As we bordered the end of our cover, Naat'áanii held out his arm, stopping me in my tracks. I looked curiously towards the rare sight. Four, no… Five cars, spun in choreographed patterns, weaving their way around the landscape effortlessly. Each machine sported a different colourful paintjob, dusted red with desert. For a moment, I was caught in awe at their speed and precision. They seemed so graceful…

"Racers." Naat'áanii started. "From the city."

I looked over to him, wondering why he had brought me here. But I was soon distracted once more as the sleek vehicles revved past, throwing up swirls of dust. I found myself slightly mesmerized at how out of place they were, street cars running free in the desert… And yet it somehow felt more natural than confining them between yellow and white lines.

We stayed for a time, watching the peculiar sight. But Naat'áanii soon grew tired. "Let's head back."

"I'm going to stay for a while…" I replied, not taking my eyes from the spectacle.

From the corner of my eye, the greying man gave a subtle smile, before turning. The scrape of tires overpowered that of his footsteps.

But I barely noticed.

* * *

**Time Leap: One year later**

* * *

I threw slash after slash at him, pushing the boy further and further back as he struggled to defend himself. In a last ditched effort, he parried and lunged towards me, swinging in upwards.

But it was useless.

My main axe slammed into the attack, stopping it dead, while my right arm shoved him backwards. He recoiled awkwardly before falling hard to the ground. Within a second I pressed down on top of him, pushing my knee to his chest and propping a blade beneath his throat.

His eyes reflected surprise, and a hint of confusion, but his face soon brightened into a retained smile. It felt a little forced, but at that point I was too tired to consider it. I gave an exhausted grin in return, before rolling off to the side and lying next to him.

The applause that echoed around us was louder than usual, congratulations ringing out.

"I, finally, won." I panted.

Gaagii, who was about as worn out as I was after the half hour battle, replied simply. "Yeah."

I lulled to the side, looking over at him with a broad smile on my face. I waited for him to speak some words of praise, or affection. But he simply stared at the evening sky. "Gii?"

Suddenly, the boy stood, dusted himself off, and paced into the night. I sat up, watching him go. I didn't really know how to react. We had been together for more than a year, and he still managed to confuse me. Not really thinking about it, I pushed to my feet and chased after him.

We were well into the forest when I caught up. "Gaagii!"

He kept walking.

"Gaagii, what's wrong?" My hand caught his wrist, bringing him to a stop.

We stood for a moment, motionless. I was beginning to feel sick, like something was clogging the back of my throat. My mind froze as he tore his arm from my grip.

"You won! Congratulations!" His usually calm voice was drenched with sarcasm.

Subconsciously, I took a step backwards. "I- I thought you'd be happy…"

"Happy?" He stepped towards me, prompting another step in retreat. "You crushed me in front of the whole tribe!"

Finally recognising the source of his anger, I held my ground. "That's what you've been doing to me for the past two years! I never cared!"

He tensed, spitting out his words. "But I'm the chief's son! I'm meant to lead them when he's gone!" His finger jabbed at me. "You're just an _outsider_."

My heart sank as the words fell from his mouth. It was the one thing I didn't have a retort for… I didn't belong here, I never did… This entire time I had just been putting off my departure, hoping that I had found my place in the world… "I thought you loved me."

The fire in his eyes wavered, as if disrupted by a gentle breeze. "You told me that you wanted to become strong."

My gaze flickered up to him… Almost pleading that he didn't say it. Pleading that the words I had set out to find would never be spoken. Words that I already knew were true.

His hazel rimmed eyes met mine. "_You're strong now._"

* * *

**Author Note:**

HOLY FUCK, THAT WAS LIKE THE EQUIVALENT OF TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE. I mean hot damn... Also, first kiss in the story, just saying. I would've loved to go into a lot more detail, but I figured five an a half thousand words was quite enough for a one chapter backstory. Personally, there are way too many unanswered questions, and although I love creating them, I realized that if they aren't answered then we're never going to get anywhere. So yeah, story wise that's what's been going down.

Life wise, I ACTUALLY PASSED I.T. **AND** WROTE MY PHYSICS ASSIGNMENT UP IN ONE NIGHT. Bam. That's how you school. Still failing maths. But we don't talk about maths. We've got our second basketball game of the season tomorrow, which I'm pretty hyped for I must admit. But after that, _two weeks _of holidays! So hopefully we'll get a few more chapters out there. OH OH OH, and since I'm already ranting about offline activities, you know that micro-fiction contest I mentioned a while back? Well I was a finalist! To be honest I was pretty surprised, but anyway, my school found out, and the head of English had the bright idea to publish the piece in the _college yearbook. _But get this, that wasn't my only success this month. Having been pissed off that my favorite anime site had some pretty shitty blurbs for certain series, I wrote an email and offered my help.

_**SO NOW I ALSO WRITE BLURBS FOR ANIME SERIES AND RECEIVE FULL CREDIT!**_ MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, I don't get paid though. Also they credit my real name, so not telling which site, but you're welcome to go searching. :P

Whew, sorry. Just needed to get all that outa' my system.

Reviews!

A Man In A Mask: Wooooooooooop, new reader! Thanks for leaving a review. Believe it or not, your vote has pushed a certain Skeleton girl into the lead!  
Stunnington: YOU MADE ME LOSE MY SHIT LAUGHING AT ONE O' CLOCK IN THE MORNING. I WOKE UP MY PARENTS BECAUSE OF YOU. *Rides mighty dictionary into the air* "REPENT, FOOLISH MORTAL!" I must profess my love for your vocabulary Sir, it has shown me a new light. Also Jess says, and I quote, "Sup."  
EnderCreepers: Hahaha, of course! I hope you're enjoying everything so far. Keep reading. :)  
ZenterX: Much obliged. I really want to keep moving to plot along, and not let it stagnate anymore than it already has, so expect more plot development! And hey, votes can always be recast.  
striker1298: That was a pretty epic review, not joking, I saw it and was like "Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet." My friends all looked at me weirdly. Thanks for the support. :D  
DeathEpyom: That's a good point actually, we should probably get back to Zoe some time soon... And man, typing out reviews on Xbox it metal as fuck. Again, I commend you. And don't worry, Amber will be kicking some more ass in the future. :D  
Guest (I'm guessing WiseguyJaco): ... I- ... Don't, g- go to the police? ... *Sweats nervously*  
UncleInTheAttic: Oop, somebody caught onto the new principal idea. Hehe. And as for my name... Yes. And as for the collaboration... Doesn't look like it's going anywhere. And as for your show name... Now that's a pretty awesome name, I must admit. And as for Raven, maybe. And as for David X Key, maybe. And as for A Fool's Conviction, maybe. Sorry for the vague answers, but the secrets must be protected! Stay strong, "brother". :P  
TheFoxWithTheGun: That is a nice username... Also, *facepalm*. Thanks for the support. :)  
Guest: Yes.  
PBJFanFiction: Hahaha, surprisingly I had a small brony faze back in grade seven. I read your one-shot... I'm unsure of how to respond... The writing was great... Uh... Moving on. Ten minutes more sleep!? Lucky bastard... :P  
Chase1998: No, Chase! Don't be sad! We all know if you start crying, I'm gonna' start crying too! I'm sooooorry... *Sob*  
DualDragonJ: NO. NOT MY DONUTS. THEY WILL BE FOREVER MINE. I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU TRY AND 1V1 ME.  
Prometheus: Typos, thanks for pointing them out again. And I'm not sure when, but _some type _of lemon will turn up eventually... Although we must be careful not to ruin the characters.  
Mineking75: YES, IF WE GO BACK AND ADD UP THE DAYS, IT HAS LITERALLY ONLY BEEN A WEEK. I know, I was surprised too. Thanks for the support 'king. :)

Okay, last thing I want to share with you guys is a super awesome game I played recently. Stray Cat Crossing. I saw Pewdiepie's first episode, and just had to go and buy it on Steam. If I were to break down the experience... Unexpectedly deep, and eerily beautiful. I love the way every feature wraps up to fit with the story. It's a little awkward in some places, and the difficulty is _NOT_ balanced whatsoever, but the puzzles were hard and entertaining. It was short, sweet, and I loved every second of it.

Right, well, that's what's been happening on my end lately. How about you guys/(do we have any other girls?) Get some sleep, follow your dreams, just do it, persevere, RKO, write, wear horse masks, don't forget to brush your teeth, and most importantly, _read fan fiction._

Ciao.

\- Sylent


	27. Honest girls

**Author Note:**

I was gonna say something important here, but I forgot wh- Wait, never mind, remembered. I GOT A TWITTER ACCOUNT. I was putting it off for a while, but suddenly found the motivation when I wanted to share some fan art with a certain YouTuber. Still, it occurred to me that I never really gave you guys a way to share fan art or other stuff with me. Sooooooo, send stuff to me on Twitter if you're up to it. I don't post much aside from random scribbles... But yeah.

I'll leave it to you, to guess the username.

OH OH ALSO, I took another venture around the website to look for good stories. Some of you may know I'm a pretty big Halo fan, so I was looking over there. Anyway, stumbled upon Halo Reach: An Unexpected Alliance by Christian Knight. It's one of the category's best rated works, and I can tell why. I'm only up to chapter thirteen, but it's already brought me to the edge of tears, withering in embarrassment, and awed by badassery. Sure the grammar and spelling are a fair ways from perfect, but it has taught me one very important lesson. The lesson, of what a _well thought out plot_ can truly become. I love it, and I have no doubt that it will make it to my favorites list.

Oh yeah, also here's chapter twenty seven. :P

Starting Perspective: David

* * *

**Honest girls.**

"Are you sure about this?"

I could see why she was a little uneasy. The mansion was practically surrounded by men in suits, automatic weapons at the ready. Amber and I stood at the bottom of the winding driveway, a short walk from the imperial style gates that bared further entry.

"This is where the school registry pointed to…" I replied, a little unsure myself.

After a further second of contemplation, the Skeleton girl started forwards. Not wanting to fall behind, I followed. We had made perhaps a few meters before a stern voice called out.

"Don't come any closer!"

We paused on fear of being shot.

The specific guard marched towards us, levelling a weapon our way. "Who are you?"

"Friends of Raven's."

He lowered the weapon slightly, but still kept it within reach. "She said you might be stupid enough to show up." Giving us a once over, he turned. "Follow me."

Amber glanced my way. Shrugging, I began walking after the man.

We continued up the winding path until we came to the gates. After a short comment on a radio, they swung open to permit the three of us. Once inside, two similarly dressed men started towards us.

The pair moved to pat us down, obviously searching for weapons. Amber recoiled abruptly.

"Hey, stop." I warned, wary of the firearms now pointed her way. "They're just checking for anything dangerous."

After a moment's consideration, she let go a small growl, before stepping forward once more. The guard ran his hands down her figure, hovering for a little longer than necessary against her chest. Amber looked away, an agitated embarrassment on her cheeks. My jaw clenched subconsciously. Finally his hands began moving once more, only to pause again on her ass.

I twitched. "Cut it out."

The pervert of a man looked over to me, a smug grin on his face. His fingers curled slightly, prompting Amber to jolt. My fist clenched as I prepared to throw a punch.

"Tommi, he'll kill you if you keep that shit up." A familiar voice range out.

The guard stood and retreated quickly as he too recognised the speaker. I watched as the redhead approached, relaxing slightly. Amber tugged at her uniform, seeming to take great interest in it as she let her awkward anger subside.

Raven examined us with a foreign sense. "Isaac didn't come?"

I could hear the tinge of annoyance in her voice, leaving me unsure of how to respond. "No… He,"

"He's on a date with the school sluts." Amber dealt without mercy, venting some of her own frustration.

Raven's already neutral expression flinched oddly, depicting something that she didn't often externalise. In fact, it made me wonder whether I had ever seen her show it before… She was always so sure of herself, always rolling with the punches…

Regret.

It didn't suit her.

She quickly covered with a fake laugh. "Fair enough." Her hair twirled as she turned. "That idiot can do whatever he wants."

I glanced towards the skeleton, catching her silver eyes. _'That was harsh.'_

She let out a puff of air. _'Well it's true.'_

_'Are you alright?'_

_'Yeah, actually I'm getting pretty used to being felt up all the time, thanks for asking.'_

I grimaced slightly at the murderous intent she packed into the sarcastic smile. Not wanting to stick around the horror scene any longer than necessary, I made pace after the already pacing redhead. Being stuck between two pissed off killing machines wasn't exactly what I had planned when I suggested visiting Raven. Mind you, I never really had a plan to begin with.

The mansion was larger than it appeared from the street, new rooms and buildings popping up around every turn. By the time Raven came to a stop, I was already thoroughly lost. We stood before a tiled staircase, which lead down to a concrete floor. At this point, it hardly surprised me that the level was underground.

Raven seemed to be considering something. As if she were suddenly uncertain about where it was she had lead us. Amber, whose patience had expired long ago, rolled her eyes and pushed past the girl. Giving a small nod, more to herself than either of us, the redhead followed after.

The tiles complained slightly under our weight, leaving me to wonder at whose bright idea it was to build such a thing. But the thought passed quickly as we stepped out onto the concrete landing. What stretched out before us left me rooted to the ground.

Cars.

At least two dozen. All in various states of repair. Some crouched with their hoods open, bits and pieces missing. Others sat suspended on metal beams, their tires scattered somewhere around the room. All of them were coated in vibrant colours, from hot pink through to neon green. Different makes and models, but mostly imports, with only the odd muscle car in the corner. Lining the sides of the gigantic garage were rows and rows of shelves, their frames littered with tools of every type. But as I looked closely at the mess of metal, I realised that it was all ordered. Everything was in its place, everything was recognisable. It was tidy, but still in major disarray.

Raven weaved her way across the room, leaving us to catch up once we had recovered from our initial awe. We came to a stop before three vehicles, all different, yet similar in one aspect. They were the only ones that remained entirely intact.

On the left was a Volkswagen Golf, a compact little thing which may as well have been a smart car. Although with the air intakes that were carved into the hood, I doubted it was a simple city cruiser. It was sprayed in a crimson red with a single black racing stripe to show of its individuality.

In the centre, a navy blue Mazda. The chrome lettering on its bumper entitled it an RX-8. Unlike the last, this one was long and sleek. I had no doubt that the spoiler at its rear was for more than appealing aesthetics.

And finally, a machine that I had only seen in movies, or the occasional TV show. It seemed oddly out of place next to the others, almost like the skeleton of a car, missing some vital organs. And yet it gave off a sense of raw power. A bright yellow and glossy black McLaren P1.

The driver, and apparently mechanic, strode towards the front of the ominous vehicle. Prompting a moment of intimidation as she lifted the hood. To say I was disappointed when the engine did not present itself, was a gross understatement. It made sense that the powerhouse would take residence in the rear, but it was still somewhat anticlimactic. However the upset was soon disregarded as something else took my interest.

The small compartment that Raven had revealed, was packed to the rim with clear plastic bags. And within those plastic bags… Was a dusty white substance.

My eyes snapped to the redheaded girl, who looked off across the room.

Amber stepped forward to examine the collection. "It kind of looks like bonemeal…"

"It's not." I replied, unwavering from the axe wielder.

She refused to meet my gaze. Furthermore, she offered no explanation. I wasn't sure why, but my temper flared. For some reason it pissed me off, that she was involved in this type of thing. I had suspected something along these lines, but it didn't make the impact any softer.

My words came out stern. "Where do you take this?"

A moment passed before her neutral reply. "Across the border."

The information took its time to sink in. A drug mule. A driver who outran law enforcement in order to smuggle illegal substances through heavily guarded areas. Sure her past had always seemed shady, but I never could have imagined…

"How long have you been doing this?" I asked.

"A while." She nodded towards the car. "Nobody can catch me in this. But I can't move much in one trip…"

The fact that she knew even that much about the trade made me even more aggravated. My barrage of questions continued. "Your father makes you do this?" It pissed me off, that she was doing this just because it was the family business.

Finally, she met my gaze. A fire of annoyance blazing within. "I know what you're thinking. But it is _not_ that simple."

Her intensity overwhelmed my anger, pushing it back within me. I could see the conflict that raged within her. It shot down my fragile attitude like a hunter shoots fish in a barrel. Our stare off extended for a while longer, before I finally looked away.

Amber was still trying to figure out what the substance was, resulting in a short hiss when Raven lowered the hood.

I sighed, finally accepting the situation. My gaze returned to the redheaded girl once more. "So, how did you get caught up in all this?"

She watched me carefully, trying to judge what I was thinking. After careful hesitation, she softened, and returned a slight smile.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Sky**

* * *

Mountain,

Moooooouuuunnnn-taaain.

What a weird word.

My leather boots pressed lightly into the sandstone, throwing up only a hint of dust. I must admit, this was far from a real mountain. More of a large outcrop really. But compared to the perilous drop below, it was hardly something one should underestimate.

I hadn't been climbing for long, perhaps fifteen minutes or so. It wouldn't have been much trouble, but as it happened the surface beneath me was more brittle than expected. I counted three times that I had almost slid from a foothold, plummeting to my death. But I was starting to get the hang of it.

A sudden jab of wind shifted the heavy sniper on my back. I small grunt escaped me as I steadied myself, twisting to try and rebalance the weapon. Usually I carried it to the shooting point in its case, but the steep climb could afford no extra weight. I briefly noted that I could have saved on weight further by discarding the clip and just using the chambered bullet… Oh well, maybe next time.

It was not uncommon for the employer to send me off to an obscure location. But they paid well, and the view was always pretty, so I didn't mind too much. I had to work a job like this every month or so, or I would eventually run broke. I was pushing it this time though, with only a few coins remaining in my pockets.

Finally, I heaved myself onto a shred of even ground, collapsing onto my stomach with my legs still hanging precariously from the edge. I stayed like that for a moment, before shuffling forward. Rolling and spreading my legs, I sat openly atop the reaching pillar of dull orange stone. Reaching for the waistband of my baggy cargo pants, I retrieved the crumpled box of cigarettes, flipping it open.

One.

Somehow I always managed to save the last one for the job. Propping it between my lips, I slipped my lighter from one of the many pockets and struck the wick. The flame was barely noticeable in the setting afternoon sun, but it didn't prevent the subtle rise of smoke as the bud caught. I took a long drag before expelling it into the open air.

The weapon clattered slightly as I lowered it to the ground. I ran my finger over the inscription by the trigger.

_Barrett 50. Cal M-82A1_

Another exhale pushed away the memories that accompanied the tag.

My gaze crept towards the horizon, taking in the unparalleled view. It was as if the spire were in the middle of everything. To the North, the land levelled out, greening into desert. Far off in the South, the outline of buildings, the city. Towards the South West, the beginnings of a real mountain range. Although I had already lived here for a few years, I still couldn't shake the same odd feeling… It had taken me a time to identify it, but once I had, it only made the concept more unnerving.

It felt as if the entire state couldn't decide which season it was. I mean, come on. In the city and the mountains, it's snowing. And yet there's a legitimate _desert _sitting right next to it.

After a few minutes of further contemplation, I finally got around to lying flat on my stomach. Returning my attention to the rifle before me, I readjusted the stand, and checked that everything was in working order. Enjoying my cigarette for a second longer, I peered down the scope.

After fiddling with a few settings, the mansion rested between the crosshairs.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Zoe**

* * *

Time was immeasurable.

Had I been stuck in here for hours? Or days? The darkness was strangling me of common sense. The absolute silence was chipping away at my will, bit by bit. What the Endermen called a prison, was nothing but a cage of torture, a gibbet for the mind. But the cleanly torment was not what troubled me most…

Key was still missing.

Even after being led through the entire Ender city, which hung suspended beneath the gigantic floating island, I had not seen head or tail of her. I missed her, I was worried about her…

Guilt still prodded at me for chasing her away. I was too harsh. I may be younger than her, but she was more fragile than I was, especially being brought back here.

She had mentioned the End, her home, only once before. She mumbled something about a dark little room. After being put in one myself, I finally understood the look of dread that had accompanied her words. But still, something told me that what I was experiencing now, wasn't anything near what she had been put through.

I slammed a closed fist against the floor where I sat. The attack came out soft, half-hearted. Some admiration was due to the Endermen, for how quickly they could drain their victims of the will to fight. It was impressive, it really was. If I stayed here much longer, there was no doubt in my mind that I would forget my entire existence. Reduced to a husk. A shadow of a being…

Without warning, a dull light struck the room. But for me, it was eye blinding. My senses were overcome with a burning sensation as it streamed through the new opening in the wall. The only redemption was a sharp silhouette which blocked off the fiery advance. I quickly dove into its shelter, shying away from the pain.

A familiar demonic voice echoed through the space, almost shattering my earbuds after the deafening silence I had been subjected to all this time. "So," the voice seemed amused "how were the first five minutes?"

* * *

**Perspective Change: Isaac**

* * *

"Hey Isaac," Courtney started "how does this look?"

I turned to find the blonde stepping out of the dressing room. I inspected the short shorts and skimpy top vacantly, my interest peaked, but soon dragged down. "Wow, you look like a model." I faked with a smile.

It wasn't far from the truth. Out of the four girls he was with, she was probably the most attractive. Although that didn't make her the most appealing.

Britt stepped out of her chamber next, somehow managing to stumble a little against the curtains. Embarrassed, she gave a high pitched laugh. "So, what do you think?" The girl struck a seductive pose in the mini skirt.

"Woah, looking good Britt."

Georgia suddenly appeared from nowhere, throwing her brown hair over her shoulders. The white crop top she flaunted exposed her shoulders, unnecessary frills gathering around her midriff. It reminded me of something the Skeleton would wear. She gave a cocky smile, obviously proud of herself.

"Not bad, almost like a celebrity"

I examined the three altogether, holding back the urge to sigh. They were all putting it on, this attitude. They were fake and I could feel it. I gave a small internal laugh. Raven was the complete opposite, she threw her personality at everyone who… The thought trailed off as I realised I was thinking of her again.

My mouth tugged downwards.

The last curtain shifted behind me. Happy to distract myself, I turned to find Heather peeking from the compartment, her black bangs almost hiding her eyes. She was probably the only thing that had kept me sane through this ordeal. She was nowhere near as attractive or feminine as the others, but for that I was a little thankful, as bad as it may be. She knew she couldn't compete with them, so she simply acted as herself, not trying to barge ahead of the others in the slightest. She wasn't fake at all.

With a neutral expression, she took a large step out into the open. The trio behind me burst into laughter. Even I couldn't help a smile, but in a different kind of way to her 'friend's' taunting.

The lanky girl was cloaked in a heavy fabric hoody, zipped up and covering all her curves with the baggy material. Furthermore, long denim jeans, probably men's, covered her legs. She stared at me blankly, to use to the treatment to prompt a reaction.

"You look cute, Heather." I replied genuinely.

She gave a small beam.

"So," Courtney, the blonde, interrupted from behind "who wins?"

"Uhh…" I began. The idea of a fashion contest had been quickly taken up by all three of them, Heather and I were simply dragged along. This kind of thing was out of my expertise, but I doubt I could get away with a lame answer. I studied them once more, my brain struggling for a response that wouldn't start a feud.

"I think you're all equally matched." Heather spoke up with a rare sentence. She didn't speak much. I suppose it made sense, I had observed her being shot down by the others before.

Silently I thanked the girl for her life saving tactic. "She's right… It's tough to call."

The trio, snapped their glares from Heather to me. "But one of us has to be on top, even just by a little!"

I pursed my lips, trying to think of some way out of the predicament.

"Clothes aren't everything. It might be easier to decide once you get the matching jewellery." My saviour covered.

At first I was thankful, but then the horrible realisation came that she was only putting off the dispute. Sneaking a semi annoyed glance over my shoulder, I was surprised when I saw a slight grin on her face. She was up to something…

Confused but hopeful, I returned my gaze forward. It was obvious enough that the girls had already accepted the thought.

"Fine, we'll buy these and head over to Pandora." Georgia stated. I presumed she was talking about some type of jewellery store.

Heather, continuing with her unusual talking streak, spoke. "But that's on the other side of the mall…"

"Who cares?" Britt shot, striding towards the counter with the other two in tow.

Waiting until they were out of earshot, I shuffled towards the hooded girl, keeping my voice down. "What's the plan?"

Falling silent once more, she nodded towards the group. Following the gesture, I listened in on the conversation with the clerk.

"Can we wear these out?"

The bored attendant rolled her eyes as she reached the scanner across the counter, awkwardly finding the barcodes. Soon, Heather went to join them.

After a time, each had been scanned and charged. We regrouped near the door. I hadn't seen any change so far, which made me even more puzzled about Heather's plan. Did I miss something?

"Let's go!" Courtney ordered, pushing the lot of us outside.

A sudden gust of cold swept through the open plan shopping centre, and suddenly, I understood. The barely dressed girls only lasted a few moments in the icy winter air. Goosebumps pecked their skin, and their cheeks turned rosy.

We had only been walking for a minute when Britt spoke up, her voice somewhat unstable. "A- Actually, I don't really feel like walking all the way over there…"

"Y- Yeah… Me neither."

"Maybe w- we should go get some food, or something?" Georgia concluded.

Amazed, I looked over to Heather. The girl tagged along in her thick hoody and baggy jeans, unaffected by the elements. She glanced at me, before looking away.

Her lips turned up in a smug grin.

That's right, I realised… I like honest girls.

* * *

**Author Note:**

DO YOU REMEMBER THAT BASKETBALL GAME I MENTIONED LAST CHAPTER!? It was, without a doubt, the best game of _any _sport I have ever played. The other school was leading by at least one point for the entire first half. Having almost given up on getting anywhere, we decided to commit basketball suicide, and pass it to our team captain. Being the idiot he is, he set up a three pointer, and shot with terrible form. Except, _he actually got it in._ Being his first basket of the year, he celebrated by scoring _another _three pointer. Our team, deciding that he was showing off too much, passed it around, and let our ace shoot _another _three pointer. Beginning to get pissed at the glory hoarders, our flank swished _another _three pointer. We then had an eleven point lead going into the last few minutes. The other team, who were brilliant I'd just like to add, were destroyed without mercy. :D

Also I was looking at some other stories... And I realised no one really writes about their lives in author notes... So, I was wondering, do you guys want me to like... Stop? Or, no...?

Reviews!

Prometheus: Glad you enjoyed it. Would it be inappropriate to ask how you related to it? ALSO PLEASE BITCH ABOUT ANY AND ALL SPELLING MISTAKES. I need to mark them down for later correction. :)  
StubTailDstroyer: You reviewed _a lot. _Which is awesome! But I hope you don't mind if I summarize it all into one response. I'm reeeeeeeallly happy you love Endergirl so much, and I reeeeeally hope you'll stick around to see it finished. Your vote has been counted, and I think you'll be surprised to see how it affects the story. Heads up, a lemon is a... sexual segment, of a story. No clue where the nickname originated from, but it is what it is. Again, thanks for all the support, and the OC! :P  
Muffinknight: Cool username by the way. I see an Amber vote, consider it counted. But I know what you're saying, the romances should be expanded on. Thanks for the support. :)  
EnderCreepers: Yeah? You liked it? Interesting is the idea! And of course, I'll always reply! :D  
Guest (Sep 24): Hahaha, yeah, I was really hoping to show why Raven is who she is. Her evolution was really fun to experience, probably why the chapter turned out as well as it did. New game? And honestly, good luck with college. Thanks for the support, your review was really motivating. :)  
Aiden Pierce: Now that I think about it, Aiden Pierce is probably a massive pervert, being able to hack just about everything, he probably has a massive gallery of _illicit _material. Worry not, I'll get to it eventually. :P  
ZenterX: I've got no idea myself dude, the characters just seem to write their own stories. I don't really know what I'm doing 'till I start. I'll try my best. Ciao.  
derpysauce: Hahaha, glad you liked it. Don't worry, Sky, if you hadn't noticed, is about to be involved heavily in the plot. As for the plot rant, well, here's the plot counter rant! First off, note Key is not an Ender Dragon hybrid, but a normal Enderman hybrid, or Endergirl rather. Meaning the Ender Dragon hybrid has only been tried and failed once. And how many times have you seen the human race retry after a screw up? As I'm sure you know, Ender Dragons pack a metric shit ton of a punch, more than any Enderman, making them difficult to slay. As for the bad guys, well... You'll just have to wait and see. :P  
A Man In A Mask: Well I'm glad at least one person went and found that review, everyone else is still convinced I'm a girl, which *cough* is entirely *cough* outlandish. *coughing fit* I wouldn't rely too heavily on that vote, it's _really _close. As for the picture... has some annoying copyright rules about using your own art for cover art. _However,_ they don't prohibit the use of copyrighted material for profile pictures. Oddly enough, if you leave cover art blank, your profile picture is used instead. Meaning, I went and stole a picture of an Endergirl and set it as my profile picture. Heh. I'll probably replace it with some original work later, if I find or make anything that's up to scratch. I _may _continue A Fool's Conviction later on, no promises though, if so, I'll be sure to use all OCs, promise. Thanks for all the support again. :)  
Guest (Sep 18): Thanks for the motivation boost. And hoi hoi, no one said anything about free donuts. :D  
Guest (Sep 18 OH COME ON, LEAVE A USERNAME YOU LOT): Vote noted.  
Chase1998: Ouch, right in the feels. I _MAY _GET TO A FOOL'S CONVICTION _LATER_! And as always, thanks for the review, you bastard. :J  
Guest (Sep 18... You've got to be fucking kidding me.): Sleep well.  
PBJFanFiction: Hahaha, it's not that I didn't like it, it's just that I'm not going to admit to enjoying it (but I totally did). I THOUGHT I HAD LEFT MY BRONY DAYS BEHIND. As always, your support means heaps to me. :)  
TheHerobrine: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
commanderimf: Vote noted. Favorite story on the internet!? I'm honored, seriously. Thank you. :)  
WiseguyJaco: Hahaha, I'm glad you approve. :D  
Stunnington: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, Jess was at my place (we were just watching SAO I swear) when your review came through. Her view of you is no undoubtedly skewed. But I found it hilarious. Her weapon of choice is without a doubt, a flick, as in yeah, the thing you do with your fingers. Your reviews always make me roflol, so please continue this epic saga. And hey, horse masks for life, am I right? Also I'm not a stalker... I'm a persistent _investigator._ Vote counted. And dude, you're definitely winning. :D  
TrueKari: Ohayou! Techhy's girlfriend? Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. You've found yourself a quality guy there, I can guarantee it. I'm glad you enjoyed Endergirl so much, and I hope you'll keep reading. I wouldn't worry too much about Ravac though... They're both stubborn, I'm sure they'll figure something out. Maybe, I don't know. Honestly, I only think a few words ahead so I've got no idea where this story is going. ':D Take care of Techhy, he's a legend. :)  
UncleInTheAttic: That is a pretty impressive skill brother. My name? Well, I'll give you a hint... 01101101. Now come on, that's pretty generous. ALSO DON'T BRUTALLY SLAUGHTER MY FANS AND THEIR DONUTS, that's just mean. The collab is well and truly dead, she's not doin' anything. Fucking giant chapter? The last couple of chapter will undoubtedly meet the description, I can assure you. Maaaaaan, now I'm an 'it'? That's harsh. :P Later, _Chris.  
_Mineking57: Hahaha, I'm glad I could actually invoke emotions for once. Your flattery is well appreciated, as is your support. And what are you talking about, your story is awesome. I'll have another look at it soon actually, you've been updating pretty frequently. Keep up the good work! :)

Crap... When did so many of you appear!? I say the same thing every chapter don't I? One last thing before I go. Let me know if the writing quality ever drops, because I've become more worried about that lately. I just feel like my previous skills are all over the place at the moment. That's right, I'm putting you in charge of quality control. Criticism is welcome.

Still, stay safe, have fun, and in the great words of Billy Connolly "Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cozy, doesn't try it on. "

Ciao.

\- Sylent


	28. The wandering gunslinger

**Author Note:**

Guuuuysss, Heather was only meant to be a minor character. But, since so many of you seemed to like her, she's been given a little more air time.

Most of you said that you didn't mind hearing about what's happening with my life, which made me a little happy if I'm honest. As a result, I have a story for you. :P

School started up again. The first week was pretty cruisy as half the grade was away on biology camp, so that was fun. Tomorrow is Friday, and we've got our third game of the season against St. Stevens. They have these really cool bright orange uniforms, which are like the cloth of angles compared to our revolting liver green. But uniforms aside, I'm hoping for a challenging game.

Anyway, that wasn't what I wanted to tell you about, I got distracted.

Enter friend B. Remy is a humanities major and also a part time arms dealer, blacksmith, chemist, pyrotechnics engineer, weapons specialist and idiot. He was in fact, the person I consulted with for Sky's sidearm. However, for some reason he missed the first two days of school. Being the lazy shit that he is, we all just presumed he had forgotten we were staring. But _no._ This morning he rocked up to homeroom with his right hand completely wrapped in gauze and silver nitrate pads (which are used for _slight_ pain relief and removal of dead tissue). Somewhat concerned, I asked him what happened. The story went as such:

"Ah, yeah... Well we have this trailer at the farm, but the tow hinge kept falling off. So I figured I'd fix it up with the welder. I got it out and pulled on my mask, but as my dad always told me, 'gloves are for pussies'. Anyway, since the visor was so dark, and the target was so small, my hand got pretty close to the torch without me realizing... Yeah, so about a minute later, my friend walked past and practically pissed himself. He grabbed onto my shoulder and got me to stop. It took me a while to figure out what he was going on about, but when I looked down at my hand the skin was bubbled and roasted, it had gone almost completely red, and huge flaps of flesh were hanging off the side..."

By that point I was laughing way harder than I should have been. My fit only increased when he told me he had to stretch his hand constantly, to prevent the skin from healing tight over his joints. I do feel a little bad for laughing at his stupidity, but don't get me wrong... Remys a tough fucker. The only type of painkiller he took through the whole ordeal of infliction and medical followup were two capsules of paracetamol, which is most commonly used for minor headaches. And despite everything he had been through, he was still well enough to play Age of Empires with me through our entire religious values class.

What an idiotic legend.

Enjoy. :)

Starting Perspective: Zoe

* * *

**The wandering gunslinger.**

"One hundred and seventy two thousand, six hundred and eight." I spoke aloud, tapping my finger against my thigh.

"One hundred and seventy two thousand, six hundred and nine." Tap.

"One hundred and seventy two thousand, six hundred and ten." Tip tap.

"One hundred and seventy two thousand, six hundred and twelve." Tap.

"One hundred and seventy two thousand, six hundre-" Wait… Did I skip one?

My mind stumbled into panic. I skipped one. What was I on before? I struggled for the number, but nothing came. The sudden lack of noise threw me into distress. One hundred and eighty… No…

"What was it?" I rambled.

"What was it, what was it?"

Should I start again? Should I just keep counting? How long had I been thinking about this? It was too late. I had already stopped. As far as I knew, a year could have passed between my last sentence. Time was the only constant in life. Not currency, or people, or friends.

Time was the one measurable thing.

And here, _time didn't exist._

"What's wrong Zoe?" Key spoke from the opposite corner.

I shrunk backwards behind my scarf. "Go away."

"Zoe, what's wrong?"

"You're not real."

The mirage of my friend looked offended. "Of course I'm real. I'm right here, with you."

"No, no you're not." I struggled to explain, to prove it to myself.

This wasn't the first time she had taunted me. But I knew, I knew it wasn't her, it didn't feel like her. If Key was really here, I wouldn't feel so afraid… But then again, if Key hadn't abandoned me, we would still be together…

"No!" No, no, no… I pushed her away, it wasn't her fault. Was it? Wasn't it? It could be, couldn't it?

"I'm sorry I left you behind Zoe." The fake Key apologised. "I just, didn't want to be with you."

A shiver crept down my spine. "Key would never say that…"

"I'm sorry Zoe…" Her image began to fade. "It's all my fault."

All her…

I was alone again.

Suddenly, light burst into the room, sending me withering against the floor. It burnt and seared my flesh, scorching it right down to the bone. I cried out in pain, screaming against the torrent. It hurt… It hurt, it hurt, it hurt.

Something warm wrapped around me.

The pain vanished.

I opened my blurry eyes, tears winding their way down my cheeks. But all I saw was darkness… And a strand of purple. This scent… "K- Key?"

"Zoe… I'm so sorry." Her voice murmured.

I paused. "You're, sorry…"

The girl held me in her embrace for what seemed like seconds. It passed too quickly, too suddenly. It was over in the blink of an eye. She lifted my head from her shoulder, where it had been nuzzled against her neck. And finally, I looked at her.

She was the same. The same as always. Still beautiful, still cute. But something was different. Her eyes… Her posture… It was rigid. She had changed. Was this Key… real?

I couldn't be sure. But I could be. Shouldn't I be?

"Zoe, we need to go."

I looked past her to the doorway. The light didn't hurt anymore. Briefly, I wondered what lay outside. I had come in, at some point, but it was so long ago that I couldn't remember.

"How, long have I…?"

"Two days."

"Two…" My mind struggled with the concept. But relief soon flooded over me. I hadn't spent my whole life here. My days hadn't been whittled away in silent insanity. I hadn't waste-

"Zoe!" Key barked uncharacteristically, snapping my startled gaze to her. She softened a little, but continued. "Zoe, I can't teleport in the city. So we have to get out of here, now."

I nodded. It felt good hearing my name. Each time she said it, it brought a little bit of myself back to me.

With a final knowing look, my tall friend took me by the hand and stood. I was unstable at first, but it seemed my legs were all too eager to escape from this place. Key's urgency sped us through the door, revealing a long hallway which seemed to split off at every opportunity.

Through the endless catacombs we drifted, turning whenever the Endergirl caught a strand of remembrance. It was a long and tedious journey, the consistent obsidian walls offering no purchase for navigation. For a time I was resigned to tangling with the maze forever. But it was only moments later that the sought exit presented itself. The staircase winded upwards to a deathly silent street.

It struck me as odd. If I remembered one thing when I arrived, it was the noise and the hustle of the city. But now it was quiet. Although, the ambience still felt like a torrent compared to what I had been through. But Key lead onwards. Oddly, the comfort I felt with her wasn't its usual self. Instead of feeling like she was supporting me, it felt as if she were my protector. But I was in no state to argue.

We ran upon empty avenues and desolate pathways, winding our way towards some unspecified destination. It was so purple. Everything was so god damn purple. Purple buildings, purple roads… Now that I looked at it, there wasn't a whole lot else.

Buildings, roads, pathways. Ornamental buildings and well-designed roads, but simplistic all the same. There were no lampposts nor parklands, no benches or playgrounds. It was a city designed for functionality. There were no recreational areas, nowhere to relax the mind. Just buildings upon buildings, all serving some unknown purpose.

I bumped headfirst into my companion as she came to a stop. Peeking around the girl, my eyes traced the large steps which bounded towards a familiar mechanism. The huge pillar extended upwards, tunnelling through the void and eventually through the floating landmass above.

Suddenly her words sounded unsure. "C- Come on."

It didn't take a psychic to see her confidence was waning. But still, she led onwards. The steps were freakishly large, no doubt created for the lofty forms of Endermen. It was difficult enough for me, being low enough to the ground as it is, but the Endergirl helped me along. And eventually, as my breath began to waver, we spilled onto the small upper platform.

Key was silent for a moment, as she stared at the blank wall before us. I looked to her, unsure. If the door wouldn't open, then we were stuck here forever.

"Why can't you teleport from here?" I asked, my mind regaining some of its processes.

Key twitched a little. "T- Teleports can be traced… We don't want them following us."

"But don't they already know where we live?"

The girl was silent. Unexpectedly, she stepped forward, placing a hand on the wall. A kind of fizzing sound rang out as the door caved inwards, creating a chiselled entrance. She stepped onto the platform and turned to me. I waited for her to answer my question, slightly hesitant of her.

Was this my real friend?

She held out her hand, giving me a look that pleaded for me to take it. The distress in her eyes gave me no choice. We could settle the matter another time. I stepped forwards and took her fingers within mine. She held onto me with a vicelike grip, not daring to let go.

And she didn't. Even as the elevator clicked and cranked its way to the surface. Even as we stepped out into the hazy fog. Even as she smiled, and spirited us away with a reassuring pop.

She didn't let go.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Amber**

* * *

David wouldn't tell me what Raven had done wrong. No matter how much I pestered him, or prompted him, or tried to catch his gaze.

It was pissing me off.

Although, for the time they had been talking, I had pieced enough of the puzzle together. Raven was moving the white stuff, across some kind of border, illegally. Which I suppose made her a criminal. As I summarized, another thought occurred to me. As far as I knew, the human law defined us as criminals too. I mean, we stole a car, killed multiple hybrids, and carried weapons in public…

Maybe I was missing something.

I puckered my lips, an expression that didn't come around often. I was still pissed at David. We were transparent about almost everything. He told me anything I wanted to know about this world, and yet now he was keeping things from me. I mean it wouldn't bother me so much if we weren't in the _same_ _fucking _room. The two humans held the conversation between themselves, practically pretending I wasn't there while I wandered around the massive garage.

I let out a quiet sigh, moving away from the topic and letting another present itself.

I still felt too light. Without my bow, quiver and swords, I felt eerily underweight. The whole school uniform thing hadn't yet found a place in my heart. Maybe it never would.

The thought brought with it a million others, but I pushed them away. For now I was here, in this world. I wasn't ready to consider returning to my own.

I tensed as the gentle sound of footsteps traced near the stairs before descending them. A black clad security guard dropped from the final step, looking over to Raven.

"Ma'am, your father is asking for you."

The redhead looked up, annoyed. "Tell him to go fuck himself."

The man cut a smirk. "I'm afraid he's quite insistent."

Rolling her eyes and standing, the girl lulled back to David. "I'll be right back."

"Actually, he wants your friends to be there," interrupted the interrupter.

"What?"

Suddenly my interest was piqued. But Raven didn't seem to think much of the idea. Her eyes reflected… Fear? The axe wielding girl, who was anything but weak, had never shown fear. At least, not in front of me…

But how scary could an old man be? I cringed slightly at my own naivety. Of course there could be something dangerous about him. I had no evidence to suggest otherwise. I couldn't make assumptions based on stereotypes… The memory of my vicious hag of a teacher came to mind. Maybe she was having more of an effect on me than I thought.

"Amber?" David questioned from the stairs.

I blinked, snapping back to reality. The room was deserted. "Coming."

* * *

**Perspective Change: Raven**

* * *

I paused before the large office doors. I could feel David's worried gaze on the back of my head. And Amber stood ready, as if expecting trouble.

To be honest, I was happy they were here. As much as it pains me to say it, there wasn't anyone I felt safer with.

Except maybe Isaac…

Prick.

I almost laughed at how the two thoughts seemed synonymous with each other. It was solidified in my mind. Isaac's a prick.

My face grew serious once more, focusing on the task before me. Although it was comforting to have David here… The man who called himself my father had also threatened to kill him. Suddenly I felt like making him stay outside, away from danger. I could make it with just Amber. I noticed how quickly my dislike of the girl faded. She was here when I needed help, even if David had just dragged her along… She was still here.

Unlike _some _people.

I turned to speak, but just as I opened my mouth, a deep voice sounded from the other side of the door.

"Enter."

A twitch of annoyance preceded the twist of the doorknob. The gloomy room opened itself up, leaving the three of us before its maw. The empowered man sat heavily within his tall office chair, waiting with a sense of patience. The type of patience you give to a small child who disobeys.

I thought I heard a small growl from the Skeleton next to me, undoubtedly fed up with people looking down on her. Somehow, it made me feel a little less intimidated.

"So, are you going to introduce your friends?" He began, going for a small talk approach.

"You already know who they are."

He shook his head before nodding to Amber. "I hardly know anything about her. She doesn't even have a birth certificate."

This was why he was always in control. He did his research. _Extensive_ research. There was not a file in the country that his hands hadn't shuffled at least once. Or at least, that's what he led everyone to believe. On top of that, he was ruthless…

"I think it's better if we keep it that way." I replied.

He sat back in his chair, letting out a breath of calmed frustration. After a moment, he changed the subject. "I suppose you've told them what you do?"

Hesitantly, I nodded.

"Have you told them what happens if you don't?" His eyes flickered to David, as if I needed reminding.

I looked away, disgusted.

"I see. Well…" His sentence trailed off.

Amber, having been distracted almost as soon as the conversation began, wandered forwards. The subtle click of a gun hammer behind the desk did nothing to slow her advance. But her eyes didn't focus on Mr. Carter. Despite the fact that he certainly held the most presence in the room, she simply wasn't interest. Instead, she focused on something beyond the huge glass windows. I noticed that unusually, the curtains were pulled back today.

I watched her, on edge, but also curious at what she had found. She went to gesture to David, but paused and reconsidered. Her mouth tugged to scowl at him, before turning to me, neutral. She waved me over.

A little surprised at how she had effortlessly taken control of the room, I stepped next to her. Her arm swung towards the window, pointing to something far off in the distance. Awkwardly, I shifted closer until I could feel a silky curtain of hair against my cheek. Unfazed, Amber held still as I followed the length of her arm to what it was that had caught her interest.

My father, having somewhat recovered from the disrespectful interruption, must have felt as if he were being ignored. "When you girls are quite finished playi-"

Atop a tall rocky spire, within the closest outcrop, there was a sparkle in the sunlight. My mind cracked into panic. "Get down!"

* * *

**Perspective Change: Sky**

* * *

I watched with interest as the doors swung inwards to permit three new individuals. Through my scope, they were easily recognisable. I was somewhat surprised that I had seen them before. They were students at my school. Or at least two of them were. The black haired boy had noticed me on the roof, and the redhead had thrown a paper plane at him… Although, the white haired girl was unfamiliar.

Briefly, I wondered whether I should take them out as well. I had a full clip after all… But I soon decided against it. It would be a waste of ammunition. And I was only being paid for the older guy anyway.

Still, their appearance made me curious, so I continued watching.

A few words were exchanged, and the redhead seemed to become agitated. Meanwhile the other two remained relatively motionless. Until of course, the big titted one pointed directly at me. I glanced at the setting sun in annoyance, realising what she had seen. Vaguely, I praised her uncanny eyesight before lining up my shot once more.

I fiddled with the scope, making minor adjustments. Finally, I calmed my breathing to a point where my exhales were barely noticeable. The scope fell completely still, along with the barrel. My fingertip teased the trigger, waiting for the opportune moment.

And sure enough, as the target spun to locate the threat, his forehead paused directly between the crosshairs. My finger twitched.

Bang.

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

A far away thunder strike jolted my gaze to the window. Within an instant, the glass was shattered and the room was sprayed with blood. It rose into the air as a crimson mist, splattering against its surroundings.

Splattering against the red-haired girl who stood in the study's centre.

I watched in shock as the now limp figure tipped backwards in his seat, falling to the ground with a light thud. Amber, whom Raven had pushed to the ground, stirred slightly, before falling completely still before her surroundings. And Raven remained motionless, staring at the mess in front of us all.

It was silent for a moment, nothing but the sound of passing wind and a squeaking office chair to add ambiance.

But then the mansion erupted into shouts and choruses of voices. They all called out orders, echoing them off the sandstone walls. But the three of us were too numb to recognise their meaning.

Passively, I was aware of the door bursting inwards as guards piled into the now cramped room. Their guns were raised as they scanned for danger, moving past us as if we weren't even there. My senses began to come back online as they examined the body, and then the window.

"Sniper, a fifty calibre I'd say." One of the hired guns reported.

The fact sounded so obvious now, leaving me wondering at what I had been thinking the whole time.

Amber rose to her feat, giving Raven a wary glance. I followed her concern, wondering what the tranquil girl would make of her father being shot dead right in front of her. Her lips moved silently, seeming to be mumble something…

All of a sudden her voice cleared and rung through the room. "That bastard…"

Every pair of eyes were now trained on her, the space falling into silence once more.

"That bastard… I- I wanted to kill him." Her head tilted to the ceiling, her voice taking on a longing tone. "I wanted to kill him _so bad…"_ The words echoed with a sense of horror, sending shivers down the spines of all who listened.

Suddenly, her attention snapped to the closest guard. "Get my car."

Turning, she paced out of the room, her rage filled eyes striking fear in all she passed. "I'm going to kill the fucker."

* * *

We had been subjected to Raven in a supercar before. But a furious Raven in a _super _supercar, was another matter entirely.

And it was _terrifying._

She threw the McLaren around twists and turns without _once _tapping the break. Tire smoke threw up in every direction, sending plumes of the stuff into the air. Not that we ever stuck around long enough to appreciate the effect. Each time we lost speed rounding a corner or pushing past some obstacle, our crazed driver would press her thumb against a small button on the steering wheel which read _IPAS._

The first time she made use of the innocent looking thing, my head slammed into the back of the seat and my lips parted in a gasp as I was almost winded. If that weren't enough, the irritated Skeleton who sat on my lap would slam the back of her head against my face. I silently cursed whoever thought it was a good idea to make a two seater car with a boost button. After that, I held the white-haired girl a distance away from myself to prevent further injury.

By the time we came to a skidding stop, I was sure my life had been shortened by years. Once my eyes had recovered from their constant state of blur, I managed to peer out the windscreen. The tarmac before us faded abruptly with a dead end. A massive outcrop of rocks lay some distance before us, and it would seem Raven had already leapt from the car and begun the hike.

Awkwardly, Amber pushed open the door, which swung upward, and shifted around on my lap until she managed to step out. I was far too pale to even manage a blush. As soon as she was clear, I followed her as she raced after Raven.

When we caught up, a strange sight lay before us. Our usual redheaded girl stood some distance from a familiar blue headed girl. One held a pair of tomahawks, the other, a bulky pistol. One was fuelled by rage, the other was calm and steadfast.

I stared at the new character. A long curtain of turquoise blue fell to her waist, coiling in the last segment. Her one sided fringe was held up with a… laundry peg? She was average in height, but seemed more mature, as if she were a year or two older than the rest of us. A lip piercing, which took the form of a silver ring, adjourned the corner of her lips. Army green cargo pants and a grey long-sleeved shirt completed the army brat look. Slung over her shoulder was a large black case, which could only house what I assumed to be a weapon. And in her right hand, she held a silver clad pistol, pointed directly at the axe wielder.

"You…" I absently recalled, although where I knew her from, I couldn't be sure.

Her gaze wandered towards me, vaguely interested. But it was now that I noticed her eyes. They were a dull green. An _empty _green… Void of emotion.

Raven, making use of the distraction, sprinted a few steps forward. Three harsh cracks rang out as bullet holes lodged themselves before her feet, completely thwarting her advance as she skidded awkwardly to a stop. The redhead practically snarled at the girl. But she wasn't looking at Raven.

She was still looking at me.

"Bitch, look at me." Raven spat, infuriated.

The girl turned, still expressionless.

Finding it somewhat odd that there was no retort, Raven soon continued. "You killed my father. That was supposed to be my job."

A tilt of the head was the only response offered.

Seconds passed before Raven tried again. "Well?"

The so far anonymous girl showed her first expression. It was slight, but she looked almost embarrassed, as if she had just realised a response was necessary. For a moment she struggled to find one. But finally, she gave the thumbs up.

Her opponent blinked in disbelief.

The sniper, seeing that the gesture hadn't sufficed, became uneasy. As if deciding that it was better to end the conversation there, she took a small step towards Amber and I, heading back to the road. Raven, who was still somewhat mystified, watched as the girl kept retreating, slowly taking larger and larger steps.

Soon, she turned altogether and walked as if she were out for an evening stroll. Although I had anticipated it, the sudden anger in the axe wielders eyes was no less overwhelming. A split second hadn't even passed before a tomahawk was hurled into the air.

A flash of turquoise flew as the mysterious girl swept around, firing rapidly at the oncoming blade. The clang of metal against metal spun the flying weapon off to the side, deflecting it enough to sail safely past all three of us.

The girl's neutral expression had returned. She stared down Raven, watching carefully for another threat. Our friend spat on the ground, but holstered her remaining weapon. Staring for a few seconds longer, the gunslinger finally turned, removed the peg from her hair, and walked past us.

We watched her go in awe. Although by the look on Amber's face, it was obvious that the archer was more impressed. As if remembering something important, the character stopped, turned, and held out a hand to me.

I was a little taken aback at first, but slowly I shook it. "David."

She nodded and moved to Amber, who took her hand almost immediately. "I'm Amber, you?"

Briefly I noted that the skeleton was way too excited, but I suppose it made sense. In an RPG, they would both be ranged classes… The thought took me back to my gaming days. But sadly, the nostalgia filled moment soon escaped me as the stranger pointed upwards.

I looked up, as did Amber. But there was nothing there… Nothing except a vibrant winter's sky…

"Sky?" The two of us asked almost simultaneously.

The Skeleton looked at me and growled. Man, she was acting weird today.

A nod answered our question, but with that, the assassin turned and departed. We watched her round the corner, soon disappearing amongst the barren landscape. After a moment of appreciation for the wandering gunslinger, I looked over my shoulder to the defeated redhead.

She sat cross-legged, sulking.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Isaac**

* * *

"But then she told me to cut it out! And before I know it, she's leaving with this asshole who claims to be her brother, without even telling us where she's going or when she'll be back." I finished up, having explained the entire story to the girl who walked beside me. It had taken a while to explain the events leading up to Raven's departure, but I was anxious to hear her opinion.

The sliver of a smile rounded Heather's cheeks. "I envy her."

Surprise tinged my voice. "Why?"

"Because she's strong."

Heather wasn't one to speak much. But when she did, her wisdom poured out with her words. There was no sympathy to be gained, for which I was thankful. A sigh escaped me as my thought's returned to the irritable midget. "Yeah…"

It was entering the final stages of dusk, the night already beginning to settle. Happy to get away from the other girls, I had offered to walk Heather home. Although now that it occurred to me, the path that we were taking was oddly familiar.

"You should go looking for her," she suggested out of the blue.

"What?"

My question was left unanswered as she let me think through the proposal. After pushing back my initial reaction, the idea didn't seem like such a bad one.

"You're right," I muttered, feeling defeated for some reason.

It was only a few minutes later that we turned onto an extremely familiar avenue. In the distance, I could see the front porch of David's house. Perplexed, I asked the obvious question. "You live around here?"

"A few houses down, and across the street from you guys." The sentence was one of the longest I had heard her utter, and its content was even more surprising.

"I never noticed you…"

"You weren't looking."

I suddenly felt a little guilty. I had been looking at girls the entire time I'd been in this world… But I was only watching the attractive ones… Now that I had talked to her, Heather was attractive in her own way. The lanky form and narrow features had hidden that from me. But now I just felt like an idiot. "Sorry," I mumbled.

Her cold pecked cheeks rounded into a slight smile again.

We walked past David's place and continued for a while. I noted that the lights were on, so somebody must have been home. Soon, having crossed the street, we stopped before an old two story house which wisped a tail of smoke from the chimney. It looked… Homey.

Heather stopped halfway up the steps, looking back at me with the same smile. "I like strawberries."

I couldn't help but smile back. She was an odd one, but the chance to apologize was one I jumped at. "Strawberries it is."

* * *

Pushing through the door, I found David walking into the kitchen. The words practically jumped out of my mouth. "David, I want to go get Raven."

He only smirked before continuing on his course. A little confused, I closed the door behind me and glanced around.

Raven sat on the stairway, staring at me coldly. "Wow, took you long enough. Asshole."

"W- When did,"

"Don't bother." She stood, and trudged upstairs. Moments later, the bedroom door slammed behind her.

"Smooth." The voice of Amber spoke from the media room.

I took a few paces forward to look through the opening. She sat at the end of the couch, one very tired Endergirl and a similarly exhausted Spider rested on her lap. The two were curled up together, using the Skeleton as a pillow. My mind struggled to comprehend the unexpected return of the entire group.

"W- What happened?" I asked finally.

"We've decided to share stories tomorrow." David replied, placing five plates on the table. He served the sixth with something that looked like curry, and started up the stairs.

"Right…" I mumbled to myself.

It took a moment for my thoughts to organize themselves. The rest of my effort went into stifling a sigh. So, Raven was pissed at me once again. Worse yet, I felt like it was actually my fault this time. Key and Zoe had mysteriously appeared from nowhere, in their usual fashion. The Skeleton had been converted into a headrest. And David was doing what David does best…

Looking back… things could have been worse.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Principal Smith**

* * *

I flicked my hair away from the fake glasses I wore. The curled blonde strands were infuriating. Maybe I should get them cut? I recalled that being a popular service in this world. But this was not the time for barbers.

Looking up from the incoherent piece of parchment before me, I eyed the woman who called herself Secretary. "What are these…" I glanced down at the written words "report cards, you speak of?"

A worried look was the only reply I received.

* * *

**Author Note:**

Ooooooooooooooooooo, another cliffhanger that your probably all saw coming. I'm kind of looking forward to writing the next chapter. Ravens pissed at Isaac, Ambers pissed at David, Key's being awfully shifty, Sky finally introduced herself, and a familiar blonde is the replacement president. _What could possibly go wrong?_ :D

Quick shout out for one of our newest fans. StubTailedDstroyer just began uploading his first Minecraft fanfic the other day. He's doing pretty well so far, the story is different and his updates are quick. Check it out if you've got some spare time.

Oh and that Halo story I was reading? An Unexpected Alliance? It got _pretty _weird around chapter eighteen. Still good. But... weird.

Is there anything else I wanted to talk about... Hmmmm, oh yeah. If you follow me on Twitter, sometimes I'll post updates on chapter progression, responses to a few reviews, and the occasional random shit like drawings, food that I make, and of course any fan material. So yeah, SylentDoom on Twitter.

I DRINK TWO LITERS OF MILK PER DAY, AVERAGE. WHO THE FUCK DRINKS THAT MUCH MILK!? TELL ME I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE.

Ahem. Reviews!

A Man In A Mask: Hmmmmmm? You know your shit. That's pretty impressive. I spent a long time figuring out the best type of model for Sky to use. Although the Barret was already one of my favorites, when I looked further into it I realized how badass it really it. So, I'm glad you picked up on it. And even though Heather is a side character, I'm glad you like her. *Glares at masked man making horrible pun, ignoring it entirely* As for an OC, well we've already got a stockpile of them. But by all means, send it through and I'll see if I can't get them in somewhere, no promises though. *Raises tea cup* Thanks for reviewing. :D  
Striker12988: Unfortunately my name doesn't start with an 'M', but it does contain one! 'M's are cool letters. And oh god. An erotic fanfiction? About _me?_Going to be completely honest with you, I would probably read it, just because my curiosity would rage out of control. Actually, yeah, it's too late, somebody write one. :P  
Aiden Pierce: IF YOU WANT _SUSTENANCE _SO BADLY, I CAN RECOMMEND A FEW GOOD WEBSITES. Besides, illicit material is way better if it's built up to, and drawn out. Furthermore, although I appreciate your reviews and find them quite entertaining. Don't pay out members of the Donut Brigade. :P  
TheFluffyPuffle: Thanks Fluffy. I'm glad you like it so much. And hey, thanks for the compliment. :)  
ZenterX: Heather is supposed to be a _minor _character! Now I don't even know what to do with her. Should we keep her around, or just have her show up occasionally? And don't worry, I _will_ finish this story. *Fist bump*  
PBJFanFiction: Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, _Ssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, SHHHHHhhhhhhHShshhhhhh, nobody noticed. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh. _And thanks. :)  
TechAndIssy: Hahahahaha, oh I missed you guys. Yeeeeeah, well, excuse me for not wanting one dimensional characters. Real people are so much more complex than what they choose to show you. As for relationships, well... I have a tendency to fuck with everyone's assumptions, if you hadn't noticed. So I wouldn't say the pairings are set in stone just yet, or ever, for that matter. Still, someone will get together soon. But don't expect a flawless relationship, those things are _soooooo_ boring. Amber is bonemeal.  
TheD0ctor: Sooooooooooooooooooooorrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. :)  
Chase1998: Just make a graph. Hahaha, I'm really glad that you think the quality keeps improving. If I'm honest, I was having doubts about chapter twenty seven, but you helped rectify those, so thanks. And now the rest of your review is getting the silent treatment. ... ... ... Chiiiiiiiiiii...  
commanderimf: All good man, thanks for leaving a review anyway. :)  
UncleInTheAttic: Jesus, brother, calm yourself. You really are turning into Jaco, I have enough trouble keeping away his nightmares as it is! AND FOR FUCKS SAKE, YOU LIKE HEATHER TOO? Urghhhh... She's just, S- She's just, a- a _minor_ character... And hahaha, yes, maybe more backstory soon. As for my gender... Hmmm, I'll give you a hint... my gender, ends with... ale. AND DON'T I GET ANY CREDIT FOR GUESSING YOUR NAME? I'm pretty confident.  
WiseguyJaco: Jaco... I- I think you have a problem... I think you need help. Please Jaco, go to the police. Turn yourself in. They have donuts!  
TheHerobrine: LATER, LEMONS WILL COME LATER. And really, who knows? :D  
StubTailDstroyer: Huh, who would've known... Still, thanks for reviewing again, I really appreciate it. And furthermore, thanks for telling others about it! Looking forward to seeing another chapter on your side. :)  
Thamiir Davis: Aye, cheers. Drug dealing is how all the kids make their money these'a days!  
Stunnington: BY GOD... WHEN WILL THIS STORY BECOME ANY LESS INSANE!? Operation Baka Onii-Chan Master Chief Oppai will undoubtedly decide the fate of the entire universe! WHAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN NEXT!?1 Update from Jess: "Stunningtons weird." But you are the most stunning person I know. :D  
Mineking57: HEATHER IS A _MINOR _CHARACTER. And yes, thank god for the hybrid healing! Your story is open in a tab, I will probably reread it after the game tomorrow. Then I'll be able to give you my opinion.  
derpysauce: FINALLY, THE LAST REVIEW! Hahahaha, sorry, I'm trying to improve the update time but it's hard to do. AND FINALLY SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT HEATHER WAS A FUCKING FILLER CHARACTER. Thank you. *Bows* As a matter of fact, I have heard of the game. A friend of mine spent about a month playing it in homeroom while I sat adjacent. Never got to play it though... Thanks for the review, as always. :)

Holy shit. My eyes are blurry. It's five past eleven... Urgh. Okay, last thing. A lot of you, and I mean _a lot_ of you, have expressed interest in submitting fan art, or even spin off stories. And I hope you all know how supportive I am of _any_ fan material, no matter the quality or medium. SO FOR FUCKS SAKE, DON'T JUST TELL ME YOU WANT TO DO IT, AND THEN DO NOTHING. Alright, rant over. :j

Take care guys, eat your donuts, binge your anime. I'll try and get the next chapter out quickly.

Ciao.

\- Sylent


	29. This is about us

**Author Note:**

A lot has gone down.

Let me give you a quick recap. So, last Friday, I ran into one of our year level coordinators, Goody. "Hey, Sa- Sylent! How do you feel about doing up the year eleven camp video? You've just got to get it done by next Thursday!" These videos are made to recap various camps that certain grades have embarked on, using photos and videos taken at the time. Without really thinking, I said yes, as it seemed kind of fun.

Okay, THEN, the weekend passed and it got to Tuesday, and one of my friends asks me, "Hey, have you done your art essay?" And of course I responded with "What art essay?" So APPARENTLY there was an art essay due the next day, which was supposed to be over a thousand words. So I was up until 2 AM doing that.

WAKE UP AT SIX, COME INTO ART ON WEDNESDAY, and my art teacher says "Great, well done! Now, are you ready for the art show on Friday? I want you to program a game, and set up an arcade!" So I'm like, sure, why the fuck not? So I wander home AND IT HAPPENS TO BE MY DAD'S BIRTHDAY, SO WE GO OUT FOR DINNER WHERE I ALMOST FALL ASLEEP ON THE TABLE. Get home, and stay up 'till 2 AM making the stupid video which of course, I hadn't started yet.

WAKE UP AT SIX, go back to school on Thursday, hand the video off to the bio-box guys, and suddenly, the principal is in front of me. "Sa- Sylent, you're getting an award today at assembly for that writing competition you entered!" At this point my brain just goes _'You've got to be fucking kidding me.' _So I get to assembly, meet the person giving me my award, go up on stage, and she's like "Congratulations Sa- Sylent!, now, please tell us why you entered the competition, and what you learnt from it!" WHAT THE FUCK, GIVE ME SOME NOTICE. So I blurted out something that surprisingly sounded pretty slick, although I can't actually remember what I said. Blah blah blah, clap clap clap. Sit down, they play my video, the entire school is laughing as I Rick Roll them half way through. Go home, STAY UP 'TILL 2 AM PROGRAMMING A FUCKING GAME.

WAKE UP AT SIX, go back to school the next day, set up my fucking arcade, finish programming the game two minutes before the art show starts, load it onto five different computers, supervise the the place for the entire night, laugh at how many people wrote "DJ BIG PENIS" as their name in the high score box. Jess won an award. Drove home, ready to go to sleep after three nights of four hour rest. And I'm thinking, _'__FINALLY, SOME PEACE AND FUCKING QUIET.' _Go to bed at 10 PM,

_**AND WAKE UP AT FUCKING 2 AM BECAUSE OF A MOTHER FUCKING STOMACH CRAMP, HEADACHE, AND SORE THROAT.**_

So yeah, that's why this chapter took so long, and why I am now sick.

* * *

**"This is about us."**

I woke with a jolt.

Annoyance grasped me as I became fed up with the repeating occurrence. For some reason, despite how tired I was, the entire night had been spent in unease. Rolling over, I looked up at my empty bed, wondering why I hadn't slept in it. Maybe I was hoping Amber would change her mind, and occupy it eventually. Or maybe I was just too used to sleeping on the floor.

When I asked about it last night, she simply looked down at the two mobs on her lap, and shook her head. She was still annoyed at me about something, but I couldn't recall doing anything wrong…

Well, hopefully she had forgotten about it.

My eyes were drawn to the window where night still stood behind the half closed blinds. An exhausted exhale left me in response. But no matter how much I complained, sleep would continue to evade me. I rolled over slowly, stretching out my cramped muscles.

Standing, I soon fumbled my way to the door. Still half asleep, my heavy feet caught in the tangled blanket, almost tripping me to the floor. Through some miracle, I righted the course before waking the entire house. I paused, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness.

As the room crept into sight, my hand found the doorhandle. The stairs presented themselves, and I noticed something odd from the level below. A small light flickered from the media room. It was warm, comforting… Confused, I started forwards. The stairs creaked slightly underfoot. Ignoring it, I continued until my feet hit the floorboards.

Hesitantly, I followed the light into the large room.

Amber sat awake, exactly where I had left her. Although Key and Zoe had pulled away, curling up at the other end of the sofa. Oddly, I noticed that Isaac was missing. He usually slept down here didn't he? But the thought soon drifted from my mind as the girl in white became my focus once more. She was staring at a candle, which had been lit atop the coffee table. It was small, but something about it was calming. The way it flickered ever so slightly, before evening out to fight back the darkness.

Shadows played across her face. They curved and warped with the ebb of the flame, creating a type of theatre. Her hair wasn't done up like it usually was. The silver strands hung freely, outlining her distant expression like a picture frame.

I stared at her for the longest time, noticing things. The curve of her lips, the length of her lashes, even the small puff of air after each exhale. She knew I was watching her, but she didn't move.

"Can't sleep?" I asked.

She ignored me for a few seconds, before lulling her head my way. Her expression said it all, no need for mind reading. _'What does it look like? And I'm still not talking to you.'_

Unsurprised, I leant against the wall, holding her gaze. _'Good thing we don't have to talk then.'_

She gave a small humph. _'I hate you.'_

_'__What did I even do this time?'_

Time ticked by, although the silence was already present. Slowly, the girl stood, making to walk past me. Her eyes flashed annoyance. _'Nothing.'_

Without thinking, I caught her wrist. She stopped in front of me, her anger vanished for a split second, but soon returning as distaste. "Let go." The words came out hushed, but neutral.

_'__Not until you tell me what's wrong.'_

_'__What's wrong?' _She let go a small growl. _'You're pissing me off, that's what's wrong!'_

Attempting to pull herself free, the Skeleton only grew more aggravated as I grabbed her other wrist and spun her against the wall. At first she struggled, but I pinned her arms tightly against the plaster. In fear of waking Key and Zoe, she soon gave up and hissed at me savagely.

Getting caught up in her anger, I found myself hissing back. The action was odd, but it shut her up. _'What did I do?'_ I repeated.

_'__You treat me like a fucking child!' _Her silver irises echoed irritation. _'Every time it's "Amber stay here" or "Amber don't do that" or "Amber be careful." Even if you shouted it to the entire school back then, you don't own me!'_

The words pummelled into me like bullets. My mind jumped back to the fight with Jacob, and how I had tried to claim her… What was I thinking? But before I had time to organize my thoughts, she continued.

_'__And I thought we shared almost everything…' _Her expression tugged downwards. _'I don't know a lot about this world. I thought you would tell me everything…'_

My grip loosened slightly. _'This is about Raven?'_

_'__This is about us.'_

I stared at her. Her cheeks brightened through her anger, and I felt mine doing the same. The conversation had come to a standstill. It was only now that I began to realize how close we were. Her arms were pinned to either side of her, her back forced against the wall. And I stood centimetres away, keeping her there. I barely had to look down to focus on her eyes, and it was only a little further from there to her lips…

Our eyes flickered back to each other simultaneously, revealing that we had both been guilty of the same thought. I searched her gaze for meaning, but could find nothing, not even the hint of a notion. It was distressing, not being able to read her. Her mind was blank, as was mine.

Hesitantly, we both started forwards. Her eyelids lulled shut, showing off her long lashes. Slowly, I did the same. It was a long moment before I could feel her nervous breath against my skin. We were close… _So close._

Unable to stand it any longer, I pressed forwar-

The front door rattled before creaking open.

Our eyes shot open to stare straight into each other. Our lips were separated by a _hairline_, a distance so microscopic, even the subtlest of movements could bring them together.

"Yo, what's u-" Isaac stopped dead in his tracks as he found us.

Amber practically turned into a tomato before my very eyes. It was terrifying. To be honest I was concerned for her health. Yet I felt myself doing the exact same thing.

Like cats dropped in water, we sprung backwards in gravity defying leaps, crashing into whatever lay behind us. In her case it was a wall, in my case it was a coffee table. The flimsy wooden surface shattered against my mass, echoing through the entire house as I fell heavily to the floorboards beneath. The once mesmerizing candle took the opportunity to spill hot wax and flame onto my bare skin, singing it rapidly.

A gurgle of pain escaped my throat as my nerves recoiled. But I couldn't move. If this were an anime series, steam would be pouring from my head. Suddenly, hundreds of protagonists became a whole lot more relatable. My mind was in lockdown, without hope of resurfacing on its own.

A smug Creeper appeared above me, soon followed by a concerned Endergirl Spider duo. "I'm sorry, did I interrupt _something?_"

Dazed, I could only blink. My eyes scanned the room for Amber, but she was nowhere to be found, which may have been a good thing…

"Something?" Key asked, innocent as ever.

"Oh, it wasn't anything important," Isaac mused, enjoying every moment. "I just opened the door to find a certain human about to go down on a certain Skeleton."

Her eyes widened, revealing skittish magenta. "Go, down… on?"

"Tha- That's not what…" I struggled, trying to retain my innocence.

Zoe shot me a devastating glare, overflowing with bloodlust. I cringed, and gave up on the attempt. Going down on her? That's wasn't it… Was it?

Oh shit, it totally was.

No, I didn't mean to do that. Did I? Of course not. We weren't like that. She hated me. In fact, she had threatened to kill me more than once. There's no way she wanted to do stuff like that.

Then, why did she close her eyes?

No no no no no no no no. It was coincidence. She was just tired…

Yeah,

We were both just tired…

I sighed, and went to push myself up. But the burn on my arm began to stretch with my movements, shooting pain across my skin. A wince escaped me as I righted myself.

Key, quickly forgetting about the topic, kneeled down beside me. Her eyes studied the wound, worry absorbing her features. "A- are you…"

I gave a small smile. I had forgotten how caring she was. She was as cute as ever. My hand fell atop her head, messing with her hair a little. "I'm alright."

A heavy blush was her response.

Something occurred to me, prompting me to look over to the Creeper. "Where did you go anyway?"

He seemed surprised. "Oh, uhh…" The plastic box crumpled slightly as he held it up. The red contents seemed far too vibrant for the dim room.

Strawberries?

* * *

**Perspective Change: The Unnamed Servant**

* * *

I relaxed from the edge of my seat.

What in all _hell _just happened? David was supposed to be with _Key!_ Not the Skeleton slut! A fresh wave of embarrassment riddled through me as I recalled the intimate moment. It was _obvious _Key was the better one. She was cuter, she was prettier, she was caring. Amber was brash, damaged and rude.

Still, it was ironic that it came down to a battle between the two…

What I wouldn't give to pry open his mind and fiddle with his thoughts. Mind you, it'd probably be easier to just make Amber push him away.

Make Amber push him away…

Oh, now _that's _a good idea.

I scrambled to my feet and rushed to the door, getting caught up in excitement. I practically skipped down the long castle hallways. But suddenly I came to a halt.

This was something that _she _would think of… Was it really a good idea? I mean, it was the kind of manipulation I had been forced to take part in all this time, but now I was doing it willingly…

But if I didn't, David would miss out on the love of his life.

I nodded to myself in affirmation, quickly proceeding to the dungeon staircase.

A shiver ran down my spine as I remembered why I didn't enjoy venturing down here. The dark space echoed with whispering breath and misleading noises. The raw sense of bloodlust was haunting enough to make me reconsider, but I pressed forwards.

The iron wrought bars on each side provided windows into the savage zoo. Hunched and filthy forms rocked gently in cell corners, corpses long dead lay ravaged by time, and the few that retained sanity drew on the walls with their own blood.

After a time of navigating through the maze, I paused before a single cell. I never did enjoy looking into this one. It was eerie, and out of place. Everything was the same as the others, but instead of preforming some gruesome act, the sole occupant was still. He sat cross legged in the centre of his cramped home, unmoving. His thick black hoodie shadowed his features.

I swallowed, still a little undecided. "I- I've got a job for you."

A twisted grin presented shining white teeth.

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

How did it end up like this?

I lay completely still, not daring to make a move. The mattress wasn't as comfy as my own, but it hardly occurred to me. I was beginning to feel a little dizzy, with the constant blood rush to my cheeks.

Key lay equally still, her back to mine.

I struggled to recall the events that got us into this situation. If anything, it was more the determined insistence of Zoe than anything else. It struck me as odd, that she would force Key and I together, despite being so protective of the Endergirl. Furthermore, she had opted to remain downstairs, with Isaac. Although to be honest, I was more concerned about his safety than hers.

My thoughts fled to the back of my mind as Key shifted ever so slightly. Briefly, her black hoodie brushed against me. We both froze, still as mountains.

Subconsciously, I noticed the small relief against my singed arm. It was healing, ever so slightly, but still not as fast as usual. I wondered for a moment at why. Was it because we weren't close enough? My cheeks brightened by a shade. Or was Amber simply better at it? The thought of the Skeleton girl shot steam from my head. I tried hard to think of something else, but the intimate moment seemed to be plastered on my brain.

Urrrghhh, what was I thinking?

"D- David?" The soft murmur dissipated my thoughts entirely.

"Y- Yeah?"

A pause longer than time echoed throughout the room. "Do you remember… when it was just the two of us?"

I relaxed a little, remembering our miniature adventures. "Of course I do." A small chuckle escaped me. "You used to be so scared of water."

She squirmed in embarrassment.

"And you ate all my donuts." I recalled fondly.

"I- It's your fault for leaving them out."

A silence enveloped us once more, but it was a comfortable one.

"Goodnight Key."

"Goodnight, David."

* * *

**Perspective Change: Amber**

* * *

I gazed into the fridge blankly. Everything was packaged, and didn't let on to what actually lay within. After questioning the humans briefly, I knew enough to recognise a few edible items, but they were absent from the cool compartment.

A sigh escaped me. Well, no helping it. Sure, something _weird_ had happened last night, and sure, maybe I hadn't been able to sleep too well afterwards. But I had it all sorted out in my head. We were both just tired. That's all it had been. I should just treat him normally.

I peered into the media room. "David?"

"Upstairs." A drowsy Isaac moaned from his place on the floorboards.

I briefly noted the content Spider that had taken his usual couch side mattress. She stretched smugly underneath the stolen blankets. But the spectacle didn't hold my attention for long. Upstairs? He hadn't been in his room…

I climbed the staircase, checking our shared room once more. But it was just how I had left it.

Davidless.

Turning, I stared down the hallway. Two doors highlighted themselves in my mind. The one at the end was Raven's room, and she was far too pissed to allow guests. And the other… Warning lights careened through my thoughts as I considered the possibility. No, no, he wouldn't…

I took a cautious step forward, and then another, until the door in question lay directly in front of me. My hand paused on the handle. Was this an invasion of privacy?

I didn't answer the question as I nudged the door aside.

From where I stood, two forms could be seen clearly resting upon the large double bed. They rested against each other lightly, comfortably. They weren't especially close… But it was enough to make me stare in disbelief.

As if sensing my intrusion, David stirred. He stretched slightly, flexing to relieve his stiff muscles. Having lost her backrest, Key rolled over, finding David again in her sleep. Somewhat startled, the boy opened his eyes to find the Endergirl resting on his shoulder. His cheeks took on a shade.

A pang of something imprinted itself upon my thoughts. Jealousy? I flinched. No, jealousy is feeling envious of someone. And I certainly was not envious of how close the Endergirl was to him. At the moment, I wanted to be as far away from the asshole as possible. My jaw clenched in confirmation. I wasn't jealous, I was just angry.

His eyes traced around the room, locking on me within seconds. They widened in surprise, and then in horror.

I smiled viciously. "Good morning, _darling._" The amount of hate packed into the term was enough to make him cringe. "If you have the time, would you mind cooking something up for breakfast? But, don't rush yourself…" My mocking attitude dropped, and my lips curled into a snarl.

"After all, you look _so _comfortable."

* * *

**Perspective Change: Isaac**

* * *

We sat around the table in utter silence.

It was unnerving, and terrifying. David fumbled his fork, dropping the bacon that had been impaled on it. Amber shot him a glare, which he downright avoided like it was a sword. Having been the only one who saw the entirety of the situation, even I felt bad for David.

But I wasn't about to jump into that shit storm and help him out.

Besides, I had my own problems to deal with. I looked over the table at Raven, who had been ignoring me all morning. A small sigh escaped me as I returned to my meal. I didn't even know where to begin with her.

Maybe I should ask Heather.

Key sat at the far end, still blushing like a blaze.

And Zoe… Well Zoe was holding together best of all. But I couldn't shake the feeling that she was looking at everything differently… As if debating its legitimacy.

It was like we were standing amidst a minefield.

I cleared my voice, catching the attention of the entire table. "So, where did you two end up?"

The spider cast me a judgmental look. "The End."

"The _End?"_ David's attention was caught.

Zoe only nodded.

"How did you get back?"

She turned to the Endergirl. "Key came to get me."

All eyes now turned to the mob in question. But what we saw was something I doubt any of us would ever forget. For once, the cute girl we all knew and loved, did not look so innocent. She had always seemed pure and untouched by the horrors of reality. She always seemed so happy, so hopeful, but now…

Sadness and regret, were her only emotions.

"I escaped." She stated plainly.

And nobody dared to question her.

* * *

**Author Note:**

AND ANOTHER THING. DAD ROCKS UP WITH A FLYER IN HIS HAND AND GIVES IT TO ME. THE TITLE READ _LIBRARY WRITING COMPETITION - FOCUS: LIGHT - 1000 WORDS._ "Oh neat, thanks dad." SO I TURN THE FUCKER OVER AND ON THE BACK IS THE DATE OF FINAL SUBMISSIONS. "... This is due in tonight."

"Better get started then." He says.

Naturally, I wrote it and ended up three hundred words over the limit, meaning it took Mom and I an entire hour to cut it down. I sent it about an hour or two before submissions closed. And they didn't even send me a confirmation email. *Sigh* Whatever...

Jess was meant to write the bottom author note... Not me. Also, if she gets around to it, she'll probably reply to reviews and stuff in the next chapter... So, yeah, if you're looking for a response from me, you'll have to wait. But for now...

Reviews!

Neener Neener: Oh dear lord. I mean, I would totally read it... But, Jesus... And kinky ideas? I think we already have far too many of those. What, with Striker1298 and Aiden Pierce around, we have enough for a lifetime. WHAT IS NUMBER THREE!? And well hey, I'm sure if you actually released some Syjess erotica, the entire Donut Brigade would read it... unfortunately. There's no way you couldn't profit. ':P  
Dragonfox45: Why thank you. :)  
Striker1298: Never said it started with an M. And oh god, that's horrifyingly descriptive. Don't worry, I've only been to Starbucks once or twice. I prefer hot chocolate over most other things.  
Joel348: Hahaha, nice to meet you Joel. I just went and watched the music video for Scatman's World. It was surprisingly relaxing. Made me smile. My gender may be confusing, but this way people can imagine me however the please. So feel free to refer to me as whatever. And by all means, review as much as you want! I will read every one of them. :)  
TheTypewriterv: I WAS LITERALLY JUST THINKING ABOUT YOU THE OTHER DAY. You came back! So glad you did. Welcome, once again. :)  
TheYinYang: I just looked through the reviews again, but can't seem to find your previous review. Sorry, probably got lost somewhere, but it's the thought that counts. Thanks for reviewing, and thanks for your support. :)  
TheHerobrine: Hahaha, I CAN'T HELP IT, I KEEP MAKING THE COUPLES FIGHT. And lemons, when they come, may only be soft-core... I mean, although everyone likes them, I don't want to defile the characters...  
ZenterX: Hm, not a bad idea, but Jess came up with an even better plan for Heather the other day. You're going to hate it, but it'll push the story in the right direction. Muhahahaha. :D  
GashUsamaki: Hahaha, thank you, thank you. Believe me, I know how hard it is to keep writing the same story, usually I just get bored and start something new. But when I signed up for this site, I realized it all revolved around how much content you had, and thus, I finally committed to finishing a story. That's one of my only rules after all, if I say I'm going to do it, I do it.  
A Man In A Mask: TWO AND A HALF LITERS!? OH YOU'RE ON! You wrote so much, I don't even know what to respond to first, but I read it all and loved it. AND NO, FUCK OFF, SKY IS AND ALWAYS SHALL BE MINE. About an OC, see the note at the bottom. Saku-san... I like it. :) And a suspicious principal, whatever could you mean? :D Furthermore, who doesn't love anything Japanese!? "Bend your knees when you land!"  
Stunnington: Duuuuude, that "Razorsharp!" voice up beat is super rad. My music taste revolves around dub and electrostep, so it was right up my alley. Thanks for sharing! And furthermore, YOU REALLY NEED TO START WRITING SOMETHING, BECAUSE YOUR SKILLS ARE OFF THE CHARTS. Epic moments, good plot, brilliantly hilarious comedy, good grammar, nice sentence structure. You could make something awesome, no doubt. I mean this story you've got going now is ridiculous and downright insane, and I love it. Keep it up! Miami huh? Can't say I've been there, but I can imagine it. And hey, $400 on a chimp mask? Worth it, totally. Sharknado? ... Not so much, but whatever floats your boat. :D You're the best Stun, thanks again for being around. Baak, baaaaak, baka. :P  
Muffinknight: Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, shhhhhhhhhhhhh. *Lays Muffinknight down to rest* *Presses finger to lips.* Shhhhhhh, you _never _thought about that possibility, okay? _Never._ Shhhhhh.  
WiseguyJaco: wwwDOTwikihowDOTcomSLASHreport-illegal-drug-activity  
StubTailDstroyer: Why thank you. And yeah, Heather seems to have captured the hearts of more than a few of the Donut Brigade, but don't worry, I have a plan for her, muha, muhahahaha. And yeah, sometimes chapters come out within days of each other, other times, not so much. ':D  
Prometheus: Oh believe me, she's getting to that point. :D  
Chase1998: Hahaha, one shot kill, kill streak, kill joy. And Sky is probably my one of, if not my favorite character. I based her off a certain anime protagonist of whom I've actually bought the 1/7 scale figure of, because she's my all time favorite. If you guess who it is, I'll let you suggest any detail you want in the story, and I'll be forced to implement it. As long as it doesn't affect the plot or the relationships. Aaaaand, now I'm ignoring the rest of your review. I mean, uh, what review? :P  
EnderCreepers: ... Lulwut?  
TheFluffyPuffle: Thanks, as always. :)  
UncleInTheAttic: Get my IP address through FanFiction? Good luck. :D Also Canada has I completely different timezone to where I am, sorry to say. Thanks for the idea about Heather, still may seriously consider it. Although Jess did come up with a pretty neat idea for her. I guess we'll see. Also, you may want to be careful about mentioning Jaco... I'm pretty sure he inadvertently sent you a death threat, check his review. :'D And I'll give you a hint about my gender... 0110000101101100011001010000110100001010 Don't murder me. Adios, American brother!  
TheD0ctor: Hey, the love is mutual. Hahaha, thanks for reviewing!  
commanderimf: YES, SOMEONE DIDN'T SEE ONE OF MY PLOT TWISTS COMING! VICTORY! Hahaha, yes, the last chapter came out pretty quickly, surprisingly. Maybe it was to make up for how slow this one was. : / Thanks for reviewing. :)  
TechAndIssy: Urrrgggghhhh, I keep making the couples fight... What do I doooooo? And hey, that fan art? Next level bruh, loved it.  
Mineking57: "Nothing will go wrong." *Dies from laughter* Your pretty observant, Sky doesn't talk much at all, and you're quite right, she may be entirely mute, who knows? DON'T WORRY, THE HEATHER SITUATION WILL BE SORTED. Muha, muhahahaha.  
derpysauce: No, no, he's legit dead. I assure you. I _assure_ you. :P

OKAY, THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS. THAT TOOK ME LIKE TWO HOURS TO REPLY TO ALL OF THOSE, mostly because I was procrastinating, BUT THAT'S IRREVERENT. I want to reply to all of you, but, but... URGHHHH, FINE, I'LL JUST OFFLOAD SOME OF THE REVIEWS ONTO JESS! Keep reviewing though. :D

OH, AND DID I MENTION, THAT WE ARE NOW _**IN THE TOP TEN**_ OUT OF ALL RATINGS!?1 Yeah, damn straight, well done. What's the next goal? Top five baby, _top five._ Let's keep this up. Also, with this chapter, we hit over two hundred A4 Pages. Damn. Also, not sure if you noticed, but I updated the blurb, and my profile slightly.

FURTHERMORE, WE GOT SOME _**FAN ART**_ FROM TECHHY, AND IT'S AWESOME. Shared it on Twitter, if you want to check it out. And Jess is currently doing up some super rad cover art for us, which looks _adorable_ by the way, wait 'till you see it.

Also yes, I'm bringing the word "rad" back.

Ummmm, I'm hoping to get a Halloween update out, but don't bet on it. Maybe leave some ideas for it? It's got to fit in with the storyline though.

OH AND _**ORIGINAL CHARACTERS**_. Okay, so as you may know, I've been hesitant to add new characters, especially OCs, as I feel like there's too many of them already. BUT, you know the prisoner mentioned up there /\ in The Unnamed Servant's section? Yep, here's the stitch. He needs to be a hybrid, preferably Spider, but I'm open to having my mind changed. It needs to be a 'he'. And if you can't already tell, he needs to be evil. I'm leaving the appearance, name, weapon and backstory up to you. A few small points on personality are fine, but I've already got that worked out mostly, although again, feel free to change my mind. JESS AND I WILL CHOSE THE BEST CANDIDATE, AND GIVE THEM FULL CREDIT FOR THE OC. So, good luck, and may the best creator win. :D

Well, with that, adios, mata atode ne, guten tag, later, and...

Ciao. :)

\- Sylent


	30. Friends?

**Author Note:**

**HALLOWEEN UPDATE**

Shut up, it's totally still Halloween as far as I'm concerned.

But holy shit, a lot has happened, like even more than the last chapter. You ready for another overview? No? Too bad.

Remember how I said we were versing All Saints, the super tough team, in basketball? Yeah, well as expected we got owned. BUT, I scored a three pointer swish, so that's all that matters. Also a while back, I mentioned something about entering another short story comp, well… I won it. So the mayor gave me an iPad Mini. Umm, what else? I swear a lot more happened… OH OH OH, so I had a Halloween party. Not much happened, EXCEPT, I finally got my first sniper headshot, wall ricochet, headshot in Halo. That's right, rebound double kill. As usual it was everyone verses me, four player split screen. I think the final score was seventy to three, maybe four? My way. Yep, just thought I'd get some bragging in there while I can. Also, finally figured out how to digitalize my artworks. Which is pretty basic now that I know how, but there are literally NO online tutorials.

OH AND SPEAKING OF ARTWORKS. WE'VE GOT MORE FANART! So thank you, to Cryptum, for his outstanding rendition of a tattered and badass David. Seriously, it's rad. You sir, are a brilliant artist, and a legend.

I'm on a train at the moment. Figured I'd catch one into the city, mess around there for a few hours, and continue down the coast. It's my childhood friend's seventeenth birthday, so since I have nothing better to do, I'm going to see her. There's a girl poking some guy's bicep a few seats ahead, they keep laughing at each other… It's quite entertaining.

It's raining… Traaain, raaain… Rainy train… T-rain… Heh.

Anyway, with all that said, there really isn't much more to say.

Here, have a seven thousand word chapter. Happy belated Halloween!

Starting Perspective: Amber

* * *

**Friends?**

I stared at the school's front gates with wonderment.

Colourful ribbons, mostly black and orange, were strung and woven through the steel bars in ornamental patterns. Large pumpkins, unlit jack-o'-lanterns, stood on either side like gargoyles. And above it all rested a sign, which seemed to be drawn in blood.

_ST. VINCENT'S HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL_

"What's this?" I asked no one in particular, hardly adverting my eyes from the scene.

David gave a chuckle, which pissed me off. Practically everything he did now pissed me off. "Well this came out of nowhere."

"Like it does every year." Raven added. "For a catholic school, we do some pretty weird stuff."

I shot David a glance, annoyed that he wasn't answering my question.

"H- Halloween, it's kind of a, human tradition."

"Its origin has been traced back to Celtic harvest feasts, and it later evolved into remembering the dead and warding off evil spirits. It was only one step from there to what we have now, where people dress up as monsters and try to scare each other shitless." Raven's spouted trivia was quite uncharacteristic, but it answered my question.

I grinned. "Sounds like fun."

The redhead returned my expression. "Oh, you have no idea."

From the corner of my eye, I saw David staring at us in worry.

"So, when does this thing start?" Isaac asked, a little excited.

David answered. "Well, they usually set up the day before hand… So tomorrow, I guess."

Our group started forwards through the gates, into complete havoc. Students rushed around everywhere, carrying boxes of ribbons and streamers, plastic skulls and badly made zombies. Teachers oversaw everything, barking orders and pointing off into the school. It was insane, but everyone held a smile.

Humans are strange creatures.

We plunged into the fray, fighting our way through it. But within moments somebody grabbed hold of Key.

"Key! You're finally here, come help us with this." The nerdy girl began to pull her away.

The Endergirl seemed familiar with the creature, as she didn't argue. She simply looked back at David to see if it was okay. He nodded, and she left with a beam.

"Raven!" A girl yelled from across the crowd.

Suddenly, the torrent of sound began to fade, until almost dying out entirely. Everyone looked over at the redhead with cautious anxiety. The girl who had called out seemed to be the most nervous of all. I didn't recognise her.

"Raven, can you… come help with the haunted house?" The last part of the sentence rattled off quickly.

After a moment, the usually vicious girl smiled. Like, a full on smile. As far as I could remember, I hadn't seen her show one before. It was odd, now that I thought about it. But my thoughts weren't really focused. Because when she was happy, her smile was mesmerizing.

"Sure."

The hordes of students gave a cheer, returning to their work with even more enthusiasm. I gave David a look, questioning him has the redhead departed.

"Raven likes Halloween, almost so much that she forgets about being a colossal asshole." He explained with a smirk. "If anyone normal wants to get along with her, now's the time. She has been counting down the days for the past month after all."

The past month? I stared after her, a little surprised.

"Isaac."

Turning around, I observed a new arrival. She was lanky, and her black hair came down in a curved fringe, almost covering her eyes.

Isaac smiled. "Hey, I've got something for you." The Creeper took something from behind his back and presented it to her. It was a packet, a clear box with red fruits sealed within.

It was foreign to me, but I didn't ask about it.

The unknown girl laughed, and accepted the gift. "Thank you."

Briefly, I wondered if the Creeper even knew himself what he had given her. But this was a little more intriguing than that. Was he seeing someone else? I mean, we all knew he and Raven were close… I don't know, it's not my place to judge. But it was a miracle that the redhead had left prior to her arrival, or things may have turned out quite differently.

Before I had any more time to assess the situation, a voice called out to me.

"A- Amber!"

Turning once more, I saw Felix protruding from the second story of the nearby classroom block. His large black framed glasses were as adorable as ever. As always, he seemed to be in a hurry. "Can you… uhh,"

He dipped back inside the window, seeming to talk to someone behind him. The boy returned a moment later. "C- Can you, play a part in the test of courage?"

"Play a part?" I questioned.

"Yeah, the class wants you to play a…"

"A?"

He hesitated for a moment, before turning back to the people inside and muttering something that sounded a lot like 'Why do I have to tell her?' He returned a moment later. "A… Monster."

I stared at him blankly. "Wow."

"No, no, I didn't mean to offend you, it's just…"

A small smirk overwhelmed me as he continued to get more and more flustered, trailing on about how the class 'didn't mean any offence'. Oh well, I guess it was understandable. The trouble causing transfer student with a terrifying scar. If that didn't say monster, then what did? The fact that I was half Skeleton notwithstanding.

"Fine."

"W- What?" The blabbering boy asked, startled that I had agreed.

"I said fine. But you have to be one with me."

It seemed that the class behind him gave him no choice, as he soon hung his head. "Your terms have been accepted."

David gave a small chuckle from behind me. "Harsh."

I looked back with a grin, before remembering that I was pissed at him. He fell silent as he recognised the look in my eye.

"Have fun…" He stated solemnly.

I ignored him and paced off towards my classroom before I had a chance to change my mind. If he was trying to make me feel bad…

It was working.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Isaac**

* * *

When we departed from David and Zoe, Heather and I had managed to evade any serious workload. She seemed to know all the back alleys and places that teachers never checked.

Although it wasn't long until one of the students had roped us into it.

We now pushed a large cart, laden with plastic weaponry and fake blood, towards the increasingly popular haunted house. Or rather. _I_ pushed a large cart, laden with plastic weaponry, fake blood, and an arms spread Heather who kept yelling "I'm flying Jack!"

"My name's Isaac, if you've forgotten."

She gave me an odd look. "It's a quote."

"Oh." I let the moment pause, waiting to see if she would answer my unspoken query. Of course she didn't. "From what?"

The girl spun suddenly and lent over the handle bar, peering at me intensely. "Don't tell me you haven't seen Titanic."

It was at this point I was beginning to feel a little embarrassed. "Uhhh…"

"You haven't."

"I have!"

"You haven't."

"I haven't."

She let go a tsk of disappointment. "You insult me Mr. Dawson."

It would seem she was abnormally talkative when quoting sources I didn't recognise.

"No helping it." She spun once more, letting her arms stretch out as we hurtled down another hallway. "You'll just have to come over and watch it with me sometime."

"I don't have a choice, do I?"

"Nope."

My smile was cut short as a door opened up ahead of us. Three familiar forms stepped out, two blondes, and one brunette… Courtney, Georgia, and Britt. Unable to correct our course in time, I resorted to grinding my heels into the ground. The cart began to slide, pulling me along with it. Heather, unstable and unprepared for the sudden brake, began to tip forwards. I caught the back of her blazer before she managed to face plant into the ground.

We stopped centimetres in front of the three terrified glamour queens.

It took them a moment to recover from their near death experience. But when they did, their sights locked on Heather almost instantly. Although it was a little hard to see from behind the stack of boxes and the girl I held stable.

"What the fuck are you doing!? You could have freaking killed us bitch!" Courtney blurted out.

"Were you re-enacting some stupid movie scene again?" Georgia asked rudely.

At this point Heather actually tried to warn them. "Guys, I don't think yo-"

"Shut up, don't act so familiar with us. Just because Isaac walked you home last night, doesn't mean you're a step ahead of us." Britt interrupted.

"I'm n- not trying to be-"

"Bullshit you aren't. We all saw you trying to impress him yesterday. Making us freeze while you were nice and warm, that was a seriously bitchy move."

"And someone told me he actually gave you _strawberries_ this morning? Seriously? You asked him to do your shopping?"

"That's not wha-"

"Seriously, you're such a fucking airhead. He's just taking pity on you."

The barrage of insults was starting to become too much, I could only imagine what Heather was feeling. Growing annoyed, I righted my friend and stepped away from my cover. "She doesn't need pity." My voice take on a long departed hiss. "And sure, she might be a bit ssstrange, but at least she's not fake."

The looks of horror that descended their faces were even enough to make me feel a little sorry for them. But I wasn't about to take my words back. I manoeuvred the cart around them, and began pushing once more. But stopped after my first step.

"And for your information…" I scanned the three of them with a smile. "We were re-enacting Titanic."

We took off down the hallways, soon leaving the trio in our wake. Heather stayed silent for a long time, which was fair, I didn't really expect her to say anything.

She'd talk when she felt like it.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Raven**

* * *

"Hey Raven, one of the traps are busted again!" Someone shouted from down the hall.

Again? How they kept breaking them was a mystery to me. But I ran after the voice anyway, through the blacked out hallways and eerie classrooms. The haunted house was looking even better this year, there was no doubt it would be the main attraction once again.

I pulled up against the couple of guys who had called me. They stared in dismay at the broken mechanism above.

"What happened?"

"Seems like the jump scare is too sudden, it keeps tugging at the power cords." One of the two reported, annoyingly chewing a glob of gum while he did so.

I recognised the trap from last year. A simple sensor detected any motion below, and dropped a hung ghost from the ceiling. The mechanism was fairly simple, just a small motor pulley mounted on the roof. From here I could see the problem, when the ghost dropped, it yanked the connections loose on the motor.

I gestured to the floor, and one of the boys crouched down. Lightly stepping on his shoulders, he stood up. People had been surprised at the feat before, after all, it required a fair amount of balance, but they got used to it. As demeaning as it was, it was the only way I could reach the roof.

I took a closer look, before holding out my hand. "Gum."

"Gum?"

"The gum in your mouth, I need it."

I little perplexed, he spat out the item and placed it in my hand. I lined up the connections, and wrapped the gum around it, pressing it together firmly. Satisfied, I stepped backwards and landed on the floor.

The motion detector picked up the movement, and the mannequin dropped, almost giving one of the boys a heart attack. A few moments later, the ghost was reeled back up, ready to deploy again.

"Nice!"

I nodded. "Anything else?"

"Uh, oh yeah, where do you want this lot?" He gestured to a nearby cart, stacked with plastic weapons and fake blood.

I peered into the boxes with glee. "When did these get here?"

"Few minutes ago."

"Take them up to the second level, jam them into the corpses we've got up there."

"Damn, that's horrifying"

The lunch bell started its tune as I smiled. "Of course it is."

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

One by one, the group assembled in our usual spot. I hadn't had much to do, as nobody recognised me to be useful. I suppose without the others, I was still just that unsociable loner. But it didn't bother me too much.

Zoe showed up first, having been stolen away by her teacher soon Amber left. She seemed tired and a little annoyed, so I didn't disturb her.

Raven rolled in next, her mouth played up in a small grin. She sat down contentedly with a piece of cake. Obviously something that someone had given her. She seemed happy enough.

Amber on the other hand, arrived with a scowl. By the look of her face, she had only just recently removed a shade of dull green stage makeup. The girl slumped down at the table, propping her head on her arms. "They want to make me a zombie. A _zombie._ Can you even get any more insulting?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "At least it's not a Creeper."

"I know, but still… A _zombie?_ And better yet, Felix gets to be a fucking ghost. Why can't I be the fucking ghost?"

My expression took on amusement. Felix's pasty complexion fit the role perfectly. Amber's class was brutal.

But it was clear enough that her night of restlessness was catching up with her. She was kind of childish when she was tired. Without thinking, I reached out to her, placing a hand on her head.

She tensed slightly, but relaxed as I teased her hair. The girl in white let out a pent up breath and sunk a little further into her arms. I almost let out my own sigh of relief, thinking that she had forgotten about her anger, but before I could, she became rigid. Brushing my hand away, she tilted away from me without a word.

A pang of rejection stabbed into my chest.

I knew why she was acting this way… After what happened last night, I ended up sleeping with Key. It was just to heal my injury, but still… Amber was right, I shouldn't have done it.

I needed to make it up to her… But I knew a simple apology wouldn't cut it. Urgghhhh! My forehead fell against the table with a shallow thud.

"D- David?"

Glancing up, I found a concerned Endergirl staring down at me.

"Hey Key." I replied, slumping back down.

"What's wrong?"

"Girl troubles." I spoke without thinking.

She brightened a shade, while Amber shifted ever so slightly. I should just stop talking. Seriously, just stop talking. I was digging my own grave here.

Thankfully, Isaac arrived just at the right time, as usual. Although he did nothing but sit down awkwardly, making him essentially useless to my cause.

But Zoe, who had barely said anything all day, diverted the entirety of the attention in a single sentence. "What did you give that girl this morning?"

The rest of us winced at the Spider's absence of tact, but Isaac spoke reasonably, as if the question didn't pose a problem. Or maybe he just hadn't noticed that Raven's smirk had dropped. "Strawberries. They're like a, sweet fruit. They're good."

Zoe nodded, having found her answer. It would seem that was all she wanted to know.

Raven, on the other hand, was now _quite_ intrigued. "Girl?"

"Yeah, Heather, she's in our class. She's a good friend."

"A good friend?"

"Am I not allowed to have friends?"

For once, Raven was knocked back. Her attack phase was over. "No… I never said that."

"I can introduce you, if you want."

"Yeah, sure…" The redhead let the conversation drop off.

The table now sat in awkward silence, with everyone either mad or embarrassed aside from Zoe, and she hardly spoke anyway.

Someone cleared their voice, snapping our attention towards the noise. A woman, dressed in a simple black suit, with black pants, stood before us. Luscious blonde curls hung from her head, winding in an almost unnatural fashion. She was young, and she was drop dead gorgeous… Her skin was clear of imperfections, and her crystal blue eyes were sharp and powerful. In fact, it made me unsure as to whether I had ever seen someone so flawless in all my life, aside from the mobs of course. But it was strange… None of us had heard her coming…

"Y-" Amber seemed to be on the verge of saying something, but trailed off in confusion.

The woman gave her a curious look, before smiling. "Good afternoon, I was just coming to introduce myself." Her voice had a discomforting ring to it, but she held out a hand anyway. "I'll be the substitute principal for a while. You can call me Miss Smith."

Smith? Something was off-putting about that name… Like it was something someone would make up. I took her hand lightly, and a shiver crept down my spine. "D- David. Nice to meet you."

She returned the shake vigorously, oddly vigorously.

Once she had finished, she didn't bother to introduce herself to anyone else and simply spoke to us as a whole. "I'm sure we'll be seeing _a lot_ of each other over the next few days." Turning, she waved over her shoulder. "So long."

We all watched her leave, more than a little creeped out. But my gaze fell to Amber, who seemed more uncomfortable than the rest of us…

She had goose bumps.

* * *

The second half of the day was pretty much identical to the first. Raven remained ecstatic, and barely spent any time with us at all. She stayed fixed to the haunted house, which had long ago been recognised as her brainchild. Isaac spent his time talking to girls, quickly being stolen away for various tasks that didn't really require his attention. But he was courteous, and leant a hand all the same. Key went back to her nerdy friends, and helped crunch numbers for finances and catering. She was always happy to have friends. From what I guessed, she had spent a long time isolated in the End, so company was something she treasured. Zoe wandered around the school stringing up synthetic spider webs… Or at least, what everyone thought was synthetic. She was definitely lonely without Key. Her class didn't seem to like her, but her joyful teacher was always around somewhere. And Amber…

Well, when I had gone to check up on her… She barely acknowledged my existence. She was disturbed about something, ever since meeting the new principal. I was worried… But she kept pushing me away.

With everyone busy, and hardly anything to do, I decided to ditch early. The entire school was too busy to notice me slip out the front gates. It's not as if anyone really acknowledged me anyway.

As my feet crunched in the light snow, my heart sunk a little.

It was stupid of me to think anything would change. As far as my peers were concerned, I was just fortunate relatives with a bunch of popular people. According to them, I was just tagging along with their fame. When I was alone, people hardly gave me a second glance. Which I suppose, was fair enough. I wasn't exactly special in any way…

My thoughts spun as I bumped into something in front of me. I took a step back as I realised it was a person. "Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was…"

She looked over her shoulder with empty green eyes, while snow spotted turquoise took flight in the wind.

We recognised each other simultaneously, but I spoke her name just to be sure. "Sky?"

She nodded.

I glanced at her uniform, remembering that she attended the same school. Was she ditching too? I didn't consider the question for long, as something else caught my eye. She wore a plain white dress shirt, that was normal enough, but she had no blazer to shelter her from the elements. Furthermore, her legs weren't covered by any form of stockings, and simply lead up to the school standard short skirt.

"Aren't you cold?"

A moment passed, before she nodded again.

Hardly thinking about it, I set my bag on the ground and pulled off my own blazer, holding the garment out to her. "Here." The wind whipped at me almost instantly, and the frost taunted my skin. She must be freezing.

The girl looked at me oddly, but took the offering and slipped into it. It was too big for her, the sleeves almost covering her hands, but she was noticeably relieved.

"Where are you going?" I asked, trying to distract myself from the cold.

Absently, she pointed down the street.

I followed the gesture, and took a guess. "The shops?"

Another nod.

"Me too. Want to go together?"

A moment passed, before she nodded again.

Slightly hesitant, I began walking. She followed soon after, catching up with me to walk side by side. Questions began unfolding in my mind, something that hadn't happened in a while. Regrettably it would seem my days as a tactician were long past. Still, the girl intrigued me. She was an assassin, I had figured that much. But she seemed disconnected from the world, as if life didn't really matter to her. A gunslinger without a cause.

Furthermore, I had never actually heard her voice.

It was a delicate question, but my curiosity was killing me. "Sky? Are you… mute?"

A time passed without the girl answering at all. Briefly, I wondered if she had heard me, but remembering what I had seen of her astute senses…

I decided not to pry any further.

We began to near the corner store by the intersection up ahead. It was a small place, mostly constructed of glass to render it with a 'modern' look. It wasn't a complete failure, but it looked more like an aquarium than a shopfront.

With both of us anxious to escape the cold, we quickly stepped past the sliding glass doors. The heated air within was toasty and artificial. A lazy attendant looked up from behind the front counter. Recognition played in his eyes as Sky presented herself. Heaving himself up, he wandered over the cabinet behind him and began rummaging through it.

I scanned the small selection of isles, and started down one of them. Sky followed.

Canned and packaged items ran along each side, as one would expect. I walked all the way to the back, finding the refrigerated section. After a quick examination, I selected a couple packets of chicken breasts and turned back to the dry shelves. Sky watched with interest.

Spices were next, ground chili and dry ginger. After that, rice oil and some more flour. By this point Sky was very intrigued, and inspected my every move carefully.

Awkwardly, I made sure I had everything, and proceeded to the checkout.

Waiting on the counter, was a large box, loaded to the rim with instant cup ramen, and on top of that, two packs of cigarettes. I was more than a little surprised when my companion took a bundle of hundred dollar notes from her pocket, and paid for the haul. She carefully scraped every coin that was returned to her, double checking the amount. She gave the cashier a small glare, and he smiled nervously before pushing over the few dollars that he had neglected.

I suppose it made sense for her to be rich… She was an assassin after all. But to carry your entire fortune around in your pockets… She must have confidence in her skills. And furthermore, she was rich, but she was clearly living off of junk food.

My look turned to one of empathy. I used to do the same after all.

The clerk cleared his throat, snapping me from my thoughts. I placed the collection on the bench which soon came to a total of twenty eight dollars, as shown by the till. I scanned my card and watched the reader nervously, resisting the urge to cross my fingers.

_DECLINED_

I groaned. Should've crossed my fingers.

A small twitch overtook me as I recalled the bundle of notes in Sky's pocket. I waited for a moment, hoping.

A hand appeared on the bench, slowly sliding a bill across it. _Very _slowly, and _very _reluctantly. I glanced over at the girl. Her face was overwhelmed with loss and torture. That look almost made me want to call it all off and return each item to the shelves. But I held fast, this was dinner after all.

I returned my eyes to the note, watching it as it slowly worked its way towards the agitated clerk. The pushing hand stopped, and with a small quiver, released the currency. The cashier lashed out for it before she had a chance to change her mind, which apparently she did, as she snapped towards it simultaneously. But the man was quick, and had a head start.

The purchase was processed a moment later, and the change was gathered hungrily by my donor. She gave me a sad glare.

I clasped my hands together and bowed my head. "Please join us for dinner!"

She seemed to look down on me as she considered the request, much like a king would look down on a peasant, or a judge would look down on a criminal. Time seemed to stretch on for an eternity as the icy stare rained down upon me.

Her reply came as a small nod.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Isaac**

* * *

"I'll introduce you."

"Are you sure it's okay?"

She had started talking again once we ran into each other after school. Raven had mentioned wanting to meet her, and I figured it would be good to introduce her to the others as well, so I had invited Heather to dinner. Hopefully David had something planned.

"Sure it is." I replied.

She seemed hesitant. "Fine, but I should bring something."

"Bring something?"

"You know, like a desert or drink…"

I gave her a look. "Why?"

"Why?" She waved her hands around in the air, obviously still nervous about the idea. "Because it's common courtesy!"

She talked a lot when she was nervous. It was cute.

"Don't worry about it. Nobody else brings anything."

"Yeah, but you all live there." She gave a sigh, finally calming down. "Whatever." Looking over at me, she gave a small smile. "Thanks for inviting me."

Her smile was infectious, and I soon found myself returning it.

We turned down our street, and wandered along the cracked pathway, under the leafless branches of barren trees. To some, it might have seemed dead, but the cosy little houses and the subtle smoke that rose from their chimneys gave off an inviting atmosphere. We watched in amusement as a group of kids ran past, flinging snowballs at one another.

"I'm sorry about today…" I pushed out.

She looked over to me, her smile dropping. She didn't speak.

"It's my fault really, that they got jealous. I didn't really solve the problem either, I kind of just made it worse…"

Again, she remained quiet, looking away.

"I, hope you'll forgive me."

Silence.

"Heather?"

I tried to get a look at her, but she only turned further.

Panic lashed at me. "Heather, I'm sorry! Come on, what'd I do?"

Suddenly, the girl started laughing. It was a light little laugh, more of a giggle. She turned back to me with a bright smile, her eyes crunching in the corners. "I get why everyone likes you now. But you can be really, _really_ stupid sometimes."

Girls confuse me.

We arrived at David's place, walked through the front yard, up the stairs, and onto the porch, stopping in front of the door.

"Anything I should be prepared for?" She asked, the nerves returning.

I wracked my brain for anything that might surprise her. "Nope. You'll be fine."

She nodded, and I turned the doorknob, pushing it open.

Before us stood a short redhead sporting a curved tomahawk in each hand, snarling viciously at a steady blue haired girl, who aimed indifferently down a handgun sight. They both looked our way, carrying their killing intent to new targets.

I pulled the door shut.

Silence enveloped us as we were left in the calm outdoors. I glanced at Heather, fearful.

She was pale white.

"Heather!"

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

I dropped a dozen more pieces of floured chicken into the bubbling oil.

The liquid flushed and bubbled, giving off a loud 'Pschhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh' sound that was oddly satisfying. I took the rice off the burner and began serving up into bowls, covering them with tea towels to retain the heat. Tossing the chicken slightly, I moved onto the greenery. I chopped up the baby lettuce into strips, splaying it slightly before plating it, and dressed it with a touch of soy sauce. Finally, I pieced the meat out of the makeshift fryer and placed it neatly amongst the rice. Sweet chilli dressing was the final touch.

I gazed at the eight platters with satisfaction. Seven eight replicas, of karaage chicken.

Key watched over my shoulder in amazement.

Something had clicked last night. It's as if by pushing Amber away, Key had come closer… Or maybe that's just how it felt. Still, I couldn't decide if I was happy about it. Key was cute, smart, and shy… But Amber was… Well, she was something else. The debate carried me all the way through the next few minutes. Eventually I gave up on it, and set out the cutlery.

Raven and Sky had stopped fighting soon after Isaac arrived. Surprisingly, it was the Creeper who shut them down. He barked something about getting on his nerves and always causing problems. The attack was directed at Raven, and it was so unusual coming from him, that she didn't really argue. It was odd, seeing her silenced. Then again, she was mostly ignoring him. Her attention had been completely focused on Heather since she arrived.

My first impressions of Heather were pretty ordinary. I had noticed her in class before, but we never really introduced ourselves. She seemed like the silent type, only speaking when she was excited or saw the opportunity to offer something. It made me wonder how Isaac had befriended her. Being lanky and a little unproportioned, she wasn't exactly his type.

It wasn't long before everyone had gathered around the table, drawn in by the smell of hot food. It was a little cramped with eight people, but we managed to sit down.

Finally, somebody broke the silence.

"So, Heather, tell us a bit about yourself." Raven questioned, sounding a lot like a suspicious mother.

Isaac sent her a glare, which she snarled at before returning to the girl.

Heather was obviously not enjoying the tension, realising what it was like to be caught within a lover's quarrel. She answered a little awkwardly. "O- Okay. Well, there isn't much to know. I've lived here my entire life…"

Raven offered another question. "Do you have any hobbies?"

On the back foot, she answered as best she could. "N- Not really. I watch a lot of old movies. I mean… I write a little as well."

"Write?"

"Um, yeah. Stories. Random stories. I just get an idea, and have to write it all out." She seemed to pick up a bit of steam. "Although I usually just get another idea and forget about the first one. So most of them aren't finished."

"But you're not good with public speaking or anything?"

"Writing and speaking are two completely different things."

The redhead seemed to pause after this, considering the statement. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Heather, who had taken the opportunity to test her meal, began to choke. After a few seconds of concern from Isaac, she managed to recover, and looked at Raven evenly. "No, I don't. Do you?"

I smirked as the girl turned her interrogator's question back on her. It worked too.

Raven flinched, and gave a stern smile. "No, I don't."

Awkward silence enveloped the room. The only one who seemed unaffected was Sky, who was wolfing down her portion like it was the first real food she had eaten in weeks. My eyes flickered to the box of instant ramen resting against the wall. My lips pursed slightly. It _was _the first real food she had eaten in weeks…

"How's the meal?" I asked, softening the tension.

"Delicious." Key smiled, skewering another piece of chicken.

"Yeah David, it's great! You've outdone yourself." Isaac announced.

Heather was next. "You put a lot of care into it. Thank you."

I looked to Amber, only to find her plate untouched. She simply stared down at it, her eyes lazy and unfocused. Something was still troubling her… My worry increased tenfold. "Amber?"

Her silver strands swayed as she snapped to attention. Her irises expended as she took in the world around her. "Y- Yeah?"

I paused, eyeing her carefully. "How's the food?"

She looked back at the meal, and picked up her fork. She began eating, but it seemed she had forgotten about the query.

"It's practically burnt." Zoe spoke, shattering the composure of the entire room.

I gazed around in shock as everybody looked away sheepishly. "Seriously?" My feelings were destroyed.

"You should have used a reci-" Zoe's sentence was cut off as the redhead clapped a hand over her mouth.

"It's really not that bad! It's still…" Raven hesitated, searching for a word. "edible."

My head hit the table in shame.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Heather**

* * *

We crossed the street in silence, a little cautious of each other.

I was wondering what he would say first. Maybe something funny. Or would he apologise again?

My home grew closer as I watched his ears turn red from the cold. He seemed to be thinking about something. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Raven. Their relationship was odd, Frome the outside they hated each other… But I could see it in his eyes, and sometimes in hers. I wouldn't call it love, but it was something.

For some reason, the thought made me smile.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked, noticing the motion.

"You, and Raven."

This made him blush, and scowl at the same time. "She's such a pain."

My smile only got wider as I took the first step on my house's front stairs. It was enough to see Isaac eye to eye when I turned around. He seemed a little irritated.

"Wasn't the best night, was it?" He muttered.

I gave a small laugh. "No, it wasn't. But it was fun."

He smiled at this. "Goodnight Heather."

Trying not to think about it, I leaned forward, and pressed my lips to his cheek. "Thanks for everything today."

The shock hit me instantly, and there was no doubt that my face flushed red within seconds. As he was stunned, I took the opportunity to turn hurriedly, and avoid sprinting to the safety of my room. Instead, I calmly opened the front door, warm light spilling out onto the porch. "G- Goodnight."

From the corner of my eye, I saw him beam.

The door slammed shut behind me.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Amber**

* * *

I felt… strange.

My thoughts were a jumble, and my brain seemed to reject my own questions. There was something at the edge of my mind, taunting me, waving at me from just over the border. An impassable border. I strained to see inside my own head, a consciousness that now seemed locked and restrained in one direction. It didn't hurt or threaten, but it occupied the entirety of my concentration. It was the equivalent of having a fly land on your nose, whilst you are unable to do anything but watch it. Everything else worked fine. I could consider Minecraft politics and debate battle strategies, but there was just one section, one tiny segment that denied my control.

My own existence, was rejecting me.

If I weren't so troubled by the phenomenon, I'd have time to be infuriated. But the emotion was a distracting one, and was quickly discarded when I began to focus on the irritation.

I jolted as I felt a light contact on my leg.

My eyes refocused to find David crouching down before me. I looked around, a little disconcerted. We were in our… his, room. David's room. I was sitting on the bed, uncomfortably. My muscles were cramped. How long had I been sitting here?

The warmth on my thigh squeezed slightly.

I looked down to David's hand, which was keeping me in reality.

But I was mad at him… Why was I mad at him? It took me a few moments, but I returned with an answer. He had slept with Key.

I took his hand by the wrist, and began moving it away, but paused as I felt my mind delve back into its quizzical contemplation. I squinted slightly, trying to refocus. I couldn't. Lazily, I returned his hand to my skin. My thoughts seemed to clear up again as he made contact. My eyes fluttered to meet his, which had been watching me the entire time.

"I can't read your thoughts." He stated. The words sounded very loud. "What's wrong?"

It took me a moment to formulate an answer, and even then, my own voice sounded foreign. "There's a… spot, in my head, which doesn't want to speak to me."

"A spot?"

"Yeah."

"How long has it been there?"

I wandered back through the day, trying to remember. "Lunch time."

The black haired boy paused for a moment. "We met Principal Smith."

The greyed out section of my mind twisted ever so slightly. Principal Smith? I briefly recalled the woman. Blonde curls… The spot gave another flinch. A sudden sense of exhaustion overcame me. I was tired. But I wasn't really… My body wasn't…

I felt another warmth rest against my neck. David's other hand reached up to me, bringing me back.

Some of the haze dropped away.

Now I could recognise the concern on his face.

"Do you remember Principal Smith?" He asked, emphasising his words.

"Yes… No…" I clapped my hands to my head, ruffling my hair in frustration. "I don't know!"

"Okay, okay, calm down. It's alright. You're just going a little insane."

I jumped at the insult. "Is that supposed to help me relax?!"

"I'm sorry, but you really are going bat shit crazy."

"You're not helping."

"Maybe I should get you a straightjacket."

"Stop!"

He gave me an amused look, studying me. "How do you feel?"

For a few moments, I didn't really know what he was asking. It hit me all at once, and the haze came rushing back. For a few seconds, I had been distracted.

"Interesting." The boy spoke, noticing the change in my eyes.

He began to move away. Panic broke through me, and I caught onto his fingers before they left my thigh. If he let go, there was no doubt I would slip away. Absently, I felt him pause. The bedframe creaked slightly as he sat down next to me.

Another warmth brushed against my cheek, hesitant at first, but soon becoming steadier. I could feel my skin flushing as he turned my head to face him. He stared into my eyes calmly, despite the tinge of red across his cheekbones. Maybe he thought I didn't notice. The corner of my mouth pulled upwards slightly. What an idiot.

I leant forwards, and rested my forehead against his. By this point, the haze was all but vanished. It still nagged at me, but I paid it no head. I let my eyes fall closed, and just listened to his breathing. It was a little nervous, and mine would have been too if I hadn't been so tired.

"I'm still annoyed at you." I said.

He tensed slightly, but relaxed. "So, what's this then?"

"A momentary ceasefire."

The boy chuckled.

I put a little more weight on him, and he moved his arms to support me. A few moments later, I laid against him entirely, and we slowly lowered to the mattress. His arms wrapped around me, and pulled me close. It was warm, and comfortable, relaxing, calm. I didn't want to move.

Ever.

"You're much more likeable when you're being cute."

Blood rushed to my cheeks. "I _will _push you off this bed."

* * *

**Author Note:**

We all should have seen it coming, but Jess wasn't up to doing the reviews or the author note, so, here I am…

We're now stopped at Beerburrum Station. Who names a town Beerburrum? Then again, considering the country I live in, I really shouldn't be surprised. It's really hard not to get distracted and tell you what I'm seeing out the window. Like a solitary mountain shrouded in mist or a thick green bush, littered with barbwire fence. I'll try and focus.

There's a big novella competition coming up in a few weeks. Ten thousand words is the limit, and there's no set topic. I've got an idea in mind… It's interestin-

Holy shit that mountain is huge! And so close! And there's a whole field of plantations rolling up to its base… Beautiful. FUCK. Sorry.

Um, yeah, so, novella. I'm really hoping to place or even win if I can. Thousands of people enter it each year as it's a national thing, but maybe… Just maybe, I can do it. If I manage to place anywhere, my recommendations for future publishing gigs skyrocket like nothing else. And hell, universities even recognise that kind of stuff. So, sadly… For the next month… I'll be taking a break from writing Endergirl. I need to concentrate the entirety of my attention on developing this idea, and putting my best efforts into completing it. The sentences must flow like poetry and the storyline must be as solid as Chuck Norris's pecs. I need to wow the judges with a concept they haven't seen before, and I need to reveal pieces of themselves within my characters.

I've gotta aim high, so I can either tumble into the pits of hell, or break my way into the cosmos.

Hey, that was pretty poetic.

I know you guys will support me, and I just want to thank you all. Without the Donut Brigade, I never even would have considered going for this type of thing. Honestly, you're all legends, each and every one of you.

Now, without further ad- LIGHTING, that was a fucking awesome lightning bolt. SHIT, I did it again. Sorry! Reviews!

TheHerobrine: Oh don't worry, I've got that sorted. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Or maybe just pissed, who knows?  
WiseguyJaco: *Sobs* JACO IS MAKING FUN OF MY PLOT TWISTS AGAIN!  
Stickman561: E- Erin? I'm not Erin… I'm Sylent… I swear. Shhhhhh. As for everything else you said, I agree one hundred percent. I accidently made everyone fight, and now it's hella awkward, but don't worry, I've got a sure fire way to bring them all together, and get them focused on the plotline, within A SINGLE CHAPTER. Hopefully. So yeah, the next one will be good. Thanks for reviewing. :)  
A sorry reader: Don't worry about it. It's just because I have guest review moderation turned on. It basically stops all my friends from posting anything they shouldn't, like my full name. I usually just let the timer run out until they auto-post, because I'm lazy. So, my bad. Still, thanks for all your efforts, I do appreciate it. :)  
A happy reader: Ah, here's your original post. Thanks, I've managed to fully recover now. Loving the OC, and he'll definitely be considered. Sadly, I'll need a little more time to come to a decision. Still, I'm liking the backstory there, very nice. – Hahahaha, I just went through and read all your posts, I love how the character developed over time. :D  
Test: **ALRIGHT, EVERYONE LISTEN UP! IF YOU REVIEW AS A GUEST, I NEED TO MODERATE THE REVIEWS BEFORE THEY GET POSTED. IT'S NOT THAT I HAVEN'T RECEIVED THEM, IT'S JUST THAT I'M LAZY. THEY AUTO-POST AFTER TWO OR SO DAYS.** Tada. :J  
EnderCreepers: _It's never too late for illuminati jokes. _It's alright, the lack of a joke was funny enough. Thanks for reviewing. :P  
A Man In A Mask: I'm just gonna reply to everything all at once, if that's okay with you. Hahahaha, oh god, now you've started with the review stories, this'll be good. Jess is pretty busy at the moment, so I'm not sure if she's going to continue reading reviews, or even the story at all. I dunno, just got this vibe… Maybe I'm wrong. Still yeah, everything's gone to shit. Starting to repair things in this chapter, but they'll need something major to pull them back together. YOU CAN'T HAVE SKY, EVER. ALSO, IF I'M AWAKE LONGER, I HAVE MORE TIME TO BE DRINKING MILK. HA. And with the amount of sugar I eat, I'm pretty sure that dose of medicine would kill me. ':D Strange men in masks! "I CHALLENGE YOU ALL TO A ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS TORNEMENT, A BATTLE TO THE DEATH!" Also, just got your latest review. CHILL. :'D  
Thamiir Davis: Muffins you say? It's been added to the notes. I'll see what we can do. Key like a little sister? Hmmmm… Does he? Does she? Who knows… You may be right… Then again, who doesn't love inces- I mean… Ahem.  
StubTailDstroyer: It was a little short, but this one is super long, so it makes up for it. Man, honours classes? That's brutal. No, I made a point of choosing the easiest classes, or at least, the classes I could teach myself. Salut? Hmmmm… Ciao is also French… Hmmmmm… If I wasn't on another train, I'd research that. Oh well, thanks for reviewing again. You're awesome Stub. :D  
Jdood2000: Noted, although at this point… Votes for Amber outweigh pretty much everyone. Although… I do have something to remedy that. Stay tuned.  
TheD0ctor: Hahaha, you get me. Although it didn't even occur to me about Creepers showing up unexpectedly! Now I just feel really noobish and really stupid. I should've played on that more… Oh well, I'll be sure to do so later. Thanks heaps! :D  
PBJFanFiction: Well, thank doge I made it out alive. :P  
Shine Archetype: Shine, it doesn't matter how much you type. When you review, it always makes me smile. Thanks for everything. :)  
commanderimf: OKAY, I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE, WHAT DOES THE "IMF" AT THE END OF YOUR USERNAME ACTUALLY MEAN? And yeah, one year… It's gone quick. Thirty chapters, two hundred and twenty pages, and over eleven thousand words. We've gone don' did good. Thanks.  
Pale1357: Oh shit man, are you alright? I cannot even express how much that must suck. I'll try to avoid scrapping anymore cars in the story out of sympathy. Still, I'm glad you had time to review. Take care man, my sorrow is with you. *Whistles Hunger Games tune*  
JamesShadows: Thanks James. :)  
Chase1998: Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.  
UncleInTheAttic: OH SHIT, did I already use "ale"? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, damn, I was so happy with myself too. It's been a few weeks already, so how did the Romeo &amp; Julieting go? And don't worry about Heather… Well… Yeah. She'll be _fine._ Later brother. :D  
derpysauce: Jesus, you've got it tough. But hey, at least you're smart enough to figure it all out. It's been a few weeks now, so how did the fundraiser go? Also… Your OC made everyone laugh. But it's been discarded. It was too gothity goth the bother gothing it up inside the barely goth goth story. :'D  
Stunnington: You finally got a profile picture! … Is that SpongeBob? As for your OC; Icarus? Not half bad, not half bad. He's totally down for consideration, but we require more minera- time, to decide, sadly. And I tota-

Opp, I'm gonna take a break here, because by the time I've gotten this far, a day has passed, and now I'm on a return train. The city just rolled into view. I think I might get off for a few hours and go get some new headphones. And maybe some don… Hmmmm… Anyway, I'll be back to finish these in a bit I suppose.

Aaaaaaaaaand I'm back. Hello! So I wandered around for three or so hours, got myself some new shoes, DCs, naturally. Got some karaage chicken udon, oolong tea, and my personal favorite, inari rolls, from this super rad sushi place. Looked at Apple earphones, checked the price tag, cried. Met a hella smooth busker, gave him all my coins. Bought a Coke from this very pretty Japanese girl, who was just closing up shop. And proceeded to a large garden atop a steep hill, where I sat and debated the meaning of life, the universe, and everything. Let's continue.

Stunnington (Continued): Right, where was I? Ah. I totally love the pet chicken idea. Super descriptive, super advanced, I like it. Although we've gotta make sure he's not _waaay _too overpowered. Still, he's definitely up there. And hey, I haven't had a chance to read _FTSHNN: Steve's Luck_ yet, but it's been added to the list, I'll be sure to read it when I can. HAhahahaha, I love that name too. "The Untold Tale Told In the Review section" Gold. Thanks for everything, as usual my friend. See you later, Dr. Stun. :j  
TechAndIssy: Damn, that's dropping some next level shit right there. You're messing with my entire concept of the story now, that's hard core. Loved the OC as I said, but we'll need some more time to decide sadly. Still, thanks for all the support, as usual. :D  
GashNanase: I SAW YOUR REVIEW AND INSTANTLY PM YOU TO APOLOGISE. Sowwy. Forgive me. I will read it, I promise. And don't worry, _someone_ will get together soon.  
Mineking57: Well that's vicious. BUT A DOUBLE HYBRID? Raaaaaaaaaad. He seems like a total badass. But uh… I couldn't help but… Johnny Depp + Jack Black… Johnny Black. I KNOW THAT'S STRETCHING A BIT, BUT IT CAME INTO MY HEAD AS SOON AS I SAW HIS NAME. Still, awesome character. He's been shortlisted. As for the telepathy… Yeah, I'll think of something to explain that eventually. :'D And my name? Plenty of names start with "Sa" and contain "M"… Although… Does it contain an "M"? Still, Sam has a kind of nice ring to it. :)

THAT SHIT TOOK ME LIKE THREE HOURS. THIS IS GETTING REDICULOUS. *Sigh* Whatever…

So yeah… No Endergirl for about a month. Also I know I'm not the best with PMs, so if you desperately need my attention, you really just have to spam me like once a day until I reply. I won't be pissed, it'll just stop me from forgetting. Oh yeah, and by the way, after the next favourite we're number eight. Ummm…

Right. Well, wish me luck. Send me some good vibes. Take care of yourselves. Do something inspirational. Debate the meaning of life. Watch plants grow. Fall in love. Fall out of Love. Fall back in love. Rinse, wash, repeat. But most importantly… Don't forget that it's the _unnecessary _that makes a good story. And there is no greater story than your own.

"Every secret of a writer's soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works." - Virginia Woolf

Hey look, I was poetic and motivational all at once… Thanks for everything guys. See you in a month or so.

Ciao.

\- Sylent


	31. Another girls name

**Author Note:**

Have you ever _felt_ bread? Like, holy shit…

ENDERGIRL STARTS ANEW IN 2016! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! NOW, WHAT WILL BEFALL OUR ODD HEROES AND HEROINES? FIND OUT RIGHT HERE, IN ENDERGIRL - HALLOWEEN EDITION, PART TWO! "Halloween? Are you fucking kidding me? It was Christmas like a week ago." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...

Shut the fuck up.

Starting Perspective: David

* * *

**Another girl's name.**

I woke to a loud rapping on the door.

"You guys are going to be late!"

"Raven, calm down, there's still half an hour before we need to leave." Isaac tried to quell from the other side.

"Fuck off, creep."

I didn't feel like getting up. I may have just witnessed, the most fulfilling, most relaxing, most comfortable night of my life, and the redhead had gone and cut it short.

My eyes swept calmly to the girl in my arms. At some point in the night, she had rolled over to face me. Her head rested on the same pillow, and her hair fell in thin strands across her face. Her lips seemed moist, and her aroma was one of pine, comforting and fresh.

Of course I knew that most of this was thanks to her mutated genetics. But I didn't mind. As far as I was concerned, this was Amber, and anything that was part of her was just fine.

A small smile took to the corner of my mouth. "I know you're awake."

"Yeah, well I know you just smelt my hair." She retorted, trying to maintain her pride. Her eyes stayed closed, not willing to give anything away.

"How are you feeling?"

The girl in white shifted closer. "Better. I slept well…"

"Me too."

This earnt a glimmer.

A few weeks ago, I never would have guessed that I'd be lying in my own bed, supporting a girl fit to rival a supermodel. I never would have guessed that she'd be so ridiculously comfortable, and so natural to hold. And I never would have guessed… that I'd feel so at ease, next to another person.

"For fucks sake! Wake up!" The door burst open.

An angry redhead stormed into the centre of the room and stared down at us like an upset mother. But her temper slowly diverted to curiosity. "Did you guys finally bang?"

"No." We denied simultaneously.

"But you made up."

I stayed quiet, and for a deafening moment, the entire universe came to a halt.

"Yeah… We did." Amber mumbled.

It was a struggle to keep my heavy sigh of relief internal.

"Great, great…" The fact that Raven had barged in, and failed to provoke even a miniscule reaction from either of us, seemed to be quite disconcerting for her. "So, can you love birds, like, get up, and like, get ready, so we can like, go?"

Amber sighed, reluctantly pulling away from me. "We're just friends."

Did I just get friendzoned?

"Oh yeah, because friends sleep with each other all the time."

"You slept with Isaac." The Skeleton replied, sitting up to rearrange her hair.

Raven brightened considerably, before storming out of the room. The front door quaked moments later as the axe wielder left the building.

A certain Creeper stuck his head through the entry with a glum look. "You just had to piss her off, didn't you?"

She stuck her tongue out, giving a contented grin.

Muttering something under his breath, Isaac turned and grumbled downstairs.

I looked at the girl with amusement. "You're back to normal."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yeah, it is."

A shy smile reset the definition of 'cute'. She jumped out of bed, and started through the door. "I'm having a shower."

"Do you want me to join you?" I asked jokingly.

"D- Do you want to die?"

I heard the bathroom door click shut, and the eerie silence that followed as she stripped from her clothes. The shower started up a few seconds later, where she gave a small yelp, still struggling with the faucets.

A loud crash rang out from downstairs.

Barely thinking about it, I reached under the bed frame and hurried out of the room, brandishing my sword. I skipped several steps on the way down, and landed on the floor below with a heavy thud. The sound had come from the kitchen, and when I found my way there, half prepared to pummel into an enemy, I was somewhat relieved by the sight before me.

Key sat dazed on the tiles, half a dozen coffee mugs shattered around her. Thankfully, they appeared to be empty, with the electric kettle boiling away on the benchtop. I couldn't help but stare at the Endergirl. Her hood had fallen down along with her, and the long magenta shade poured freely from her head.

She looked up at me, her bright purple eyes quivering slightly. "I- I, was making, coffee…"

I smiled as my sword lowered. "Of course you were."

Kneeling down, I set the weapon aside and began collecting the broken pieces. She swallowed, but soon leant a hand. The job was done within moments.

"I'm… Sorry."

"It's alright." I wrapped the shards in paper towel, before discarding them in the bin. "You scared the shit out of me though."

"S- Sorry."

I cast a glance towards the girl, about to reassure her again. I mean yeah, it was kind of inconvenient, but it wasn't something she should worry… My thought trailed off.

She was shivering.

"Key?"

Her eyes leapt to mine, and her body stiffened instantaneously. Her lips parted, but the tone changed. "I'm fine." She snarled. Her hands clapped over her mouth, and her eyes drifted away.

A moment passed as we stood apart in the tensioned silence. She spoke again, but this time it came as her usual shy murmur. "I- I am, fine."

"I don't believe you."

Her face contorted in fear. "I am! I'm fine, I- I promise."

My gaze passed straight through her words. The Endergirl squirmed slightly, but held her ground, not willing to change the dialogue.

"You promise?"

A small, hesitant nod was the only reply.

With a pestered sigh, I swept up my blade and turned. "Make sure you're ready, we'll be leaving soon."

The girl didn't respond.

* * *

There was about an hour left until Saint Vincent's Halloween Festival opened to the public, and as expected, I was alone.

The Skeleton was busy being a zombie, the redhead was busy rigging traps, the Creeper was busy moving stuff, the Spider was busy last-minute decorating, and the Endergirl was distracted with accounting.

And here I was, wandering aimlessly past excited first years and slacking seniors, wondering why nobody had invented the see-through eyepatch yet. I knew if I kept on like this, I'd either depress myself, or begin writing out a patent.

And that's where my feet stopped.

My eyes skimmed upwards from the ground, already kind of knowing where I was. But still, a sigh escaped as the revelation toyed at my memories. Somehow, I had ended up back here…

The polished building before me was a mass of old English architecture. It fit in with the rest of the school of course, but the leading archways and odd angles couldn't be mistaken. The music department was one of the oldest buildings around, after all.

My leisurely pace resumed as I followed the familiar path.

It was pretty much deserted. All the music students had been whisked away to the stages for various performance pieces. It was kind of depressing with everything so empty, but I was glad not to be interrupted.

I just kept walking, turning whenever I felt like it. Before long, I wasn't even in control of my destination. My feet just took me wherever they wanted to go.

And even though I knew where I was going all along, it didn't make me any more prepared for the room that now lay before me. The door had been left open, just slightly, but still ajar. And inside was a row of old friends.

Not really thinking much about anything anymore, I stepped inside and gazed at the rack of instruments. All polished and tuned, spick and span in their perfection. My teacher… she always kept them that way…

I cast one more look around the tiny, one window room, just to ensure I was alone. And with a tinge of familiarity, I took up my old favourite.

It felt much lighter than before… But then again, I suppose a lot had changed. The wood was smooth, and cold to the touch. Reaching down for the attachment, I hooked the padded brace onto the hull, and rested the instrument on my collarbone. And with another pang of hesitation, my fingers wrapped around the final puzzle piece.

I raised the bow with a practised grace, and hovered it ever so slightly above the strings. A final exhale was the last precursor.

The violin let out a nostalgic tone as I pulled across its features.

And again.

And once more.

A song that I once knew returned to memory, and so I began to play. _Pilgrims on a Long Journey, _composed by Cœur De Pirate. It was first used in a popular RPG, which I enjoyed _way_ too much. My teacher had prompted me to try out the music, despite it being a piano piece originally.

We managed though…

As the piece trailed off, and I began to focus on reality once more, I practically shat myself as a slow trail of applause dragged from the door.

My heart dropped as I recognised the familiar figure.

"So you can still play, after all." My ex-girlfriend noted.

After a moment of silence, I began setting the instrument back where it belonged.

Unfazed, Jen leant against the doorframe, her golden irises tracing me. "I figured you'd come back here eventually."

"It was my mistake." I muttered, hanging up the bow.

"Oh come on," the flicker of a grin picked up on her face "let's have one more lesson, for old time's sake. Just you and me…" Her grin widened. "Teacher and student."

I made for the exit. "Sorry for the intrusion."

But she caught at my shirt.

My eyes dropped to hers, where she stared up at me with those familiar puzzling features. I couldn't tell what she was thinking… I really couldn't. But when her palm pressed against my chest, her intentions became clear.

"I don't love you anymore, Jen."

An uncharacteristic laugh echoed from her. "Let's be honest David… You never did."

Her lips pressed against mine,

hard.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Jacob**

* * *

The employed slut paced towards me with an empty expression.

I ignored her as I flicked through the photos on my camera. I could hardly help a smile as the images rolled through. I had gotten plenty of good shots…

"So?" The girl, Jen, I think her name was, prompted.

I gave her a glare, annoyed. "Yeah, yeah. Here."

Reaching into my pocket, I tossed a roll of cash her way. A measly half grand was well worth what I had obtained.

But even after she had pocketed the cash, the girl hung around, seemingly unsatisfied. "What will you do with those?" She nodded towards the camera.

"What's it to you?"

She gave me a look, before turning to walk away. "Nothing."

Annoyed, I paced in the other direction.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Raven**

* * *

Isaac and Heather kept dropping off last-minute supplies.

I always sent a few of the guys out to sort them… It wasn't like I didn't want to see them or anything… I just, didn't have time.

A fresh pang of irritation swept through me. Stupid fucking Creeper.

"Raven!"

Spinning around, I saw a young girl running towards me. "What's wrong?"

She paused for a breath before speaking. "The lights, on the first floor… They're not working."

"Just leave 'em. It'll look way creepier."

I felt my mind rivet in distaste as the word 'creep' escaped my mouth. Stupid fucking Creeper.

"O- Okay. Als-"

My finger leapt to the girls lips as my senses sparked. She held a terrified expression, but didn't make a sound. Slowly, I looked over my shoulder into the long, blacked out hallway.

Something… I felt _something…_ Maybe…

My hands slowly crept to my tomahawks.

"Raven!"

My head snapped in the other direction, where another one of my workers was running towards me. "For fucks sake, what now!?"

"George accidently smashed a window."

"Jesus Christ, I'm going to turn that idiot into a decoration soon."

For a split second, my eyes crept back to the hallway. But the killing intent was gone… Maybe I was just imagining things.

Still, I should warn the others. My thoughts trailed back to a certain person.

_"__Stupid fucking Creeper."_

* * *

**Perspective Change: Sky**

* * *

I heard his footsteps on the stairs long before the door opened. He was trying too hard again…

My cigarette dwindled as I stared down into the busy laneways. People were rushing in and out from every direction. It was a little odd, the way they could push themselves so far for something so meaningless… But, I understood it…

He was on the rooftop now. Twenty point six meters away, and closing. Although it might have been a little closer, considering the harsh breeze was continuously swiping hair over my ears. Maybe I really should get it cut.

I could see a few of the people I ate with last night. The small first year girl was putting up spider webs, in a strange sort of fashion; the creepy white haired girl was covered in green paint, ranting at a boy in a sheet; and the poor blue-eyed boy was sitting next to the old oak tree, staring into the sky vacantly. They were strange people.

He was almost behind me…

Slowly, I reached backwards and poked his leg.

"Chiii~." The lanky boy dropped down next to me, his mismatched eyes studying me intently. "When did you hear me?"

I tapped my shoes, which hung off the roof's edge, against the wall below.

"Stairs?"

I nodded.

A moment passed as we sat in silence. Koridas was also a little strange. He was smart, but he acted like a kid. Then again, I couldn't really quote people for being different…

We were in the same class, and our lack of friends meant we were put together for most group activities. Every once in a while he came to visit me, either up here, or in the old sports centre. He didn't think it was weird that I stayed there… But it was because he didn't, that he wasn't a connection to the rest of the world. He wasn't a friend that made you feel less lonely.

"Something's bothering you."

I paused a moment, as my thoughts focused. He was right. Ever since this morning, something had felt… _off._ It felt alien, artificial. The feeling had come a few times over the last few weeks. It lurked at the border of my senses, spiking up at odd moments. But today, it was different… Stronger…

It set me on edge.

A far off loudspeaker whined into existence. "Going on its twenty seventh year, I now announce the Saint Vincent's Halloween Festival… officially open!"

A loud cheer went up from the hundreds of students below and the hundreds of visitors that began to stream through the gates. My eyes traced over the various types of parents and teenagers. Couples were the most prominent, with all the guys attempting to look tough as they were whisked into the redhead's house of horrors.

"Hey Sky."

I twitched slightly, remembering I had company. From the corner of my eye, the boy looked oddly nervous.

"Go through the haunted house with me."

Surprised, I looked at the boy who had never been interested in anything aside from mathematics and ice cream. He stared back with a wide, pleading smile. He wanted to go somewhere, with me?

No… That wasn't it. That couldn't be it. Knowing him, horror houses were probably just a new hobby. I averted my gaze.

"Please?"

I looked back to him, and tilted my head in question. Unsure, I pointed at the boy.

He watched the gestures for a moment, trying to decipher them. "Why don't I go by myself?"

I nodded.

He beamed. "Because it would be more fun with you."

M- More fun? With me? I wasn't quite sure what to think…

I nodded.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Felix**

* * *

Working with Amber certainly had its ups and downs.

On one hand, I got to watch her interaction with others, take note of her odd habits, and prod her with the occasional question. All of which got me minutely closer to her story. On the other hand however…

"Right! You two, stop aggravating everyone and keep practising!" Our siren of a teacher wailed into our eardrums.

"Why the hell do we have to practice scaring people? It's pretty fucking standard isn't it?" Amber jabbed back.

"You were elected as the monsters! Stop whining about it!"

My partner seemed to flinch at her words, a reaction which had become exceedingly rare. I wondered at what prompted it… But she was soon back on the offensive.

"You fit the description of 'monster' _way_ better than any of us do."

The wrinkled woman began to swell up. "That's it! Both of you!" She waved a long finger at the two of us. "Get out of my classroom! Come back when you've learnt some respect!"

Amber rubbed off the last of her stage makeup and started out the door. "Sure thing."

Not quite quick enough to follow the vicious exchange, it took me a moment to discard my own costume and hurry after her. I tried my best to avoid the menacing stare of our overseer.

I found her pacing down the hall with long strides, her long legs making it difficult for me to catch up. But I managed it before she began down the stairs. "Do you always have to get us in trouble?"

"It's not my fault she's a bitch."

A sigh escaped me as we descended to the ground floor. I watched the girl, waiting to see where she would lead me. But it seemed as if now that she had made her escape, she didn't know where to go… She glanced through the swamp of people with frustration.

"Why don't we check out some of the attractions?" I offered.

The new girl glanced over to me. "Why would we do that?"

"Well, you managed to get us out of working…"

"Yeah… you're right." She cast her gaze back outside, troubled by the mass of bodies and chorus of voices. Her eyes traced back to the floor. "W- Where do you want to go first?"

A slight blush shaded my cheeks. So she had this side to her as well… "T- The haunted house is always good, if you don't mind being scared witless."

"Okay…" The girl nodded forwards. "I'll follow you."

I swallowed.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Isaac**

* * *

"What? You're scared of monsters?"

The girl beside me gave a small laugh. "Of course I am, who isn't?."

I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly. "Well, you know, not all monsters are bad…"

"You seem awfully hung up over this. Is there something I should know?" She teased, taking on a sarcastic tone.

It still made me flinch.

I changed the subject. "So, are you too scared for this then?"

Heather peered towards the house of horrors. "I- I'll be fine… As long as you're around." The last part was barely audible as she mumbled it.

I couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Sorry Heather, I'm actually more of a monster than anything in there…

"Next!"

We stepped to the front of the line, where a familiar face greeted us. I felt myself tense slightly.

Raven glared at me coldly, and downright ignored the girl by my side. How long was she going to stay mad at me? Although… I guess touring around with another girl didn't exactly help. But she was just a friend. My mind leapt back to last night. Yeah… she was just, a friend… Probably…

"Don't touch anything, don't run, follow the directions, don't get too excited and _spontaneously explode._" The redhead threw a mock smile and gestured towards the door. "Enjoy."

"Ex- Explode?" Heather picked up.

"Next!"

It's an inside joke Heather, it's alright.

With a little suspense, we started inside.

There weren't any decorations in the first hallway, which was a little disconcerting. It's not that they were hidden, or subtle, there was literally _nothing._ But as we got further and further from the exit, it started to get _darker._ The windows had been sealed entirely shut, almost air tight. Not even the smallest pinstripe of light found its way inside. It was easy going for a little while, but it was obvious enough that my human companion was struggling. Her eyes didn't adjust as quickly as mine…

I took her hand.

She jumped at the contact, alarmed.

I chuckled slightly. "We can turn back if you want."

"N- No, let's keep going."

With a smile, I lead her onwards.

The next thing I noticed was the silence. No longer could we pick up the deafening voices of the crowd. They were gone entirely, as if erased from their very existence. Nothing but our footsteps, and our unsure exhales provided a backdrop audio. Calling it 'eerie' was a perverse understatement.

Which is why, when a door creaked ajar up ahead, Heather gripped my hand like a vice.

It was a little creepy… I suppose…

We walked ever-so-carefully past the open closet, continuing down the hallway. The door slammed shut when we were some distance ahead. Heather, who had managed to calm down a little, let go a yelp of surprise.

"You okay?"

"Y- Yeah."

We crept forwards.

An intersection approached, splitting of in three different directions. Each one looked as dark and foreboding as the next. A thin arrow, hardly recognisable, pointed up the adjacent staircase. It was almost like we were supposed to get lost… Heather would have kept walking.

"This way."

"Are you… sure?" She glanced up the staircase sceptically.

I pointed to the arrow. "Look."

The girl followed my finger, peering through the darkness. "Oh, yeah. Your eyesight is freakishly good."

It was obvious enough that she was dubious, so I kept the conversation going as we eased up the steps. "It's been this good for as long as I can remember."

"You're doing nothing to convince me that you're not a vampire." She joked.

"What's a vam-"

The floorboards groaned underfoot, cutting off my query. We continued to the top of them in silence. As we approached, I noticed mist pouring over the floor above. When we stood atop it, it was as if we had fallen into a cloud. Now, I could barely see a meter in front of me…

The redhead wasn't planning to let me off easy, it would seem.

"Isaac."

"Yeah?"

"Don't let go of my hand."

"Got it."

Tentatively, I took a step forwards. The mist seemed to sway, and part. For a split second, a corpse lay wasted against the wall, blood leaking vigorously from its open wounds.

We both froze at the sight. And second later, the mist coiled around it once more, hiding the gruesome deed from view.

Neither of us willing to mention what we just witnessed, we slowly edged onwards.

But something at the edge of my senses made me stop. A prickling sensation on the back of my neck… An unmistakable intent…

"Is, everything alright?"

I snapped back to the girl, the sensation fading. "Y- Yeah, why wouldn't it be?"

"Don't tell me you're scared." She said with a faint smile.

Scared? Maybe that was it… "Hey, you can hardly talk."

Her cheeks flushed, reminding me of just how adorable she was.

I let go a comforting laugh. "Let's keep going."

She stepped a little closer as we continued.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Heather**

* * *

I couldn't help but scream as _yet another_ creature dropped from the ceiling, hovering mere inches before my face. But this time, it quaked, and threatened to fall even further. Something else dislodged from the roof and bounced against my head lightly before falling to the floor.

A shiver riveted through my spine.

Still recoiling with fright, I peered down at the object awkwardly.

Gum?

"Heather?"

I looked back at Isaac. He amazed me. It was almost like nothing could faze him. Like he had seen all these horrors before… Me, on the other hand… "L- Let's go back…"

I was weak.

He gave a reassuring smile. "Good idea, I'm getting freaked out as well."

Don't lie…

After only making it halfway through the second floor, we turned around and started back the way we came. If I said anything, I knew I would stutter, so I kept quiet. How pathetic. My eyes glanced over to the boy who guided me. He had been distracted for a while, like something was bugging him. I looked back to the floor. It was probably me.

"Hey, don't freak out… But does any of this, look familiar to you?"

My gaze shot back to our surroundings. Familiar? I could hardly see anything. There was too much mist. "N- N- No."

Isaac stiffened. We were lost. He had gotten us lost.

"I'm pretty sure it's this way." The boy stepped forwards, taking me with him.

A sharp pain sliced across my arm, prompting a small wince.

"Are you okay?"

"Ye- Yeah…" I traced my fingers across the sensation, finding a medium size scratch. "I just cut myself on something…"

"Let me see."

I showed him the mark, which was beginning to bleed.

Furrowing his brow slightly, he reached for the bottom of his shirt, tearing off a segment.

"Y- You don't need to…"

He ignored me, and wrapped the garment around my forearm, tying it off gently.

"Thanks…"

Once more, he took my hand and began walking, a little quicker this time. Despite it being the middle of winter, his skin was warm to the touch. It was probably one of the most comforting things about him.

Another dose of pain as another cut appeared, this time on my leg. I paused to make sure I wasn't imagining things. But Isaac was still walking.

Our hands fell apart, and he disappeared into the fog.

"Isaac?"

"Heather!" He sounded so far away.

The mist parted and his warmth returned. But his features were serious. "We need to get out of here, now."

I gave a shaky nod. "There's nothing I'd want more."

But before we could get anywhere, a jolt of agony made me yelp out. My hand instantly sprung to my side, where a large gash had just opened. I looked down at the wound, not quiet believing. It was long, and… and deep… Bright crimson began to run freely from the open scratch, quickly sucked up by the fabric of my uniform. My gaze shakily returned to Isaac, who was transfixed on the image. "We're… not alone in here… are we?"

His eyes expressed both worry, and guilt.

I began to feel light headed. "It- It hurts, Isaac."

His jaw clenched, as did his fist. All at once, almost dreamlike, he clicked his fingers. I wasn't sure what I saw for the first couple seconds. But I was so relieved by its presence that I didn't really care. A small flame, cradled in the boy's palm, cast a cosy glow across the hall. It felt as if a blanket had been lifted. Like I could breathe again.

Surprisingly, my first question wasn't one of astonishment. "Isn't it hot?"

Isaac blinked at me. "Uhh, no… Not really."

"Oh."

The fog whirled as something streaked through it. Another split appeared on my arm, bigger than the last.

"Who'sss there!" My companion raged into the storm.

There was no response.

I watched a small pool of blood grow on the floor… My blood.

"Come on Heather, we have to go." The boy pulled me to my feet.

I struggled to get my balance, but soon we were rushing down the hallway, pausing to turn at the next intersection. It hurt to move, but Isaac wasn't giving me much choice. His flame revealed cunningly placed decorations, which would usually terrify me… but now, now it all just felt surreal. Now that there was actual danger, a few rigged traps and plastic muses were nothing more than what they really were. Make believe.

The next cut sent me sliding on my knees as both of my ankles were skewed open. It hurt. It _really_ hurt. I screamed, and raked in air. The pain was immense, like a torrent of something I had never experienced. Like an entirely new sensation, separate from its less significant brother. "Isaac," I paused to catch my voice "please, I can't go any further."

"I'll carry you."

"No!" I feared the pain. I feared movement. I wanted out, I did, but not if it involved more hurt. My brain was confined within those parameters.

He moved to take me in his arms. "We can't sta-"

"You don't even know how to get out! We'd be running around in circles!" My words pierced him. I pulled back, realizing what I sounded like. "I just…"

The boy let out a puff. "So what am I supposed to do?"

The fog swirled, and another scratch rounded on my shoulder. Isaac lashed out at the substance, but found nothing but the wall behind it. "God dammit, show yourself!"

A low chuckle echoed throughout the building.

Haze began to descend upon my mind. I was losing too much blood…

"_She's dyyying._" A high, clinging voice spoke from all directions.

Another cut on my temple. I felt dizzy.

"Why!? Why are you doing this!?" The flame in Isaacs hand had spread up his entire forearm.

"_Why aren't you protecting her?_"

The next slice came slower, lingering across my breast. My hand moved quick enough to catch the cold touch of crystal. It was gone in a split second. I looked up at Isaac, who stared at me with absolute empathy. He was conflicted. He wanted to protect me, but how could he? The blows came so quick that neither of us could discern where they came from.

He opened his mouth, preparing to shout down the hallways.

"_Mooore playthings?_"

The boy hesitated, before hanging his head.

That's right… He was going to call for _her…_ But the last thing he wanted to do, was put her in danger. Especially when he couldn't even save me…

My mind should have been spinning with questions; why is Isaac holding fire, why are we being attacked, why does Isaac look guilty, is it possible to feel this much pain, who is Isaac really, how long before I pass out; but when the powerless boy crouched down before me, and took me into his arms… my mind went blank.

He wrapped around me, trying to cover my vulnerabilities as best he could. For some reason, my wounds began to numb, and again, I felt warm and comfortable. I couldn't help but rest against him, to let him support me. I liked this, I did… It all felt so _right._ As if all the puzzle pieces simply fell together. I liked being next to him, I liked spending time with him… I liked…

Because that's the trouble with good guys, isn't it?

It's hard to just be _friends._

A harsh gash found the means to open up across my ribcage. I groaned in agony, my voice already becoming coarse. Isaac shifted to put pressure on the exposed area.

It was now that I felt a slight wetness on my skin… The droplets landed on my cheeks, and gently rolled down to my lips, where they paused momentarily, before continuing their decent.

Tears.

But, not mine…

My fading eyes looked up to the boy who hovered over me. He looked so sad. There were a lot of other big words that our teachers gave us, things like 'depressed' and 'melancholy'. But sometimes, those words just didn't fit…

He was sad.

"What's wrong?" I asked, concerned.

He trembled slightly, before giving me a fake smile. "Look at you, worried about me at a time like this." The boy paused as he seemed to struggle internally, he looked back at me as he began speaking again. "This is why we're always alone." He blinked away the droplets. "This is why, we don't try to make friends… This is why, we'd rather _die,_ than let others get close to us. Because, we _know_ what it's like, to lose someone you never want to say goodbye to." He rested his head against my shoulder.

I didn't quite know who 'we' was, but his words made me happy.

Unable to hold himself back any longer, he turned to the hallway and shouted at the top of his lungs. "RAVEN!"

Ah… He said it…

She was the dependable one at times like these. She was tough. She wouldn't give up at a little pain.

The frantic boy looked back to me. "Hey, stay with me okay?"

"I don't want to go anywhere else… Not when you're holding me like this."

"I'll hold you whenever you want. And hey, we were going to watch _Titanic,_ right? You have to show me all those references you keep making."

My lip turned up in a tiny smile. "_Don't let me go,_ Jack."

"I won't. I never will."

"Lier…"

He turned back to the hallway. "RAVEN!"

Oh Isaac… the last thing I want to hear, is another girl's name.

Torture ripped through every cell in my body, as a whirring blade tore through my throat. Blood rushed into the tarnished cavity, blocking it off while I desperately spluttered for air. A low drown occupied my ears, turning everything around me into a mumble of unrecognisable noise. My vision hazed over, hexing it all into a blur…

And then…

I drowned in my own blood.

* * *

**Author Note:**

… Don't hit me.

To be honest, I just read over all that, and, well… I think I can do better. It's almost like I haven't been putting much effort in lately. Maybe it's just holiday blues. Regardless, I'll try harder in the future to amp up the quality.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! AND HAPPY NEW YEARS! I'd write you a Christmas special… but, uhh… we're still on Halloween. ':D Still, I hope y'all got some rad stuff. Any of you get something _really_ awesome?

I'll just answer a heap of questions in rapid succession instead of droning on for ages.  
Did I finish the Novella? Yes, I'm in with a chance. Will I share it with you guys? Yes, when the judging is over in March. What'd I get for Christmas? Notch's biography, linge- underwear, and A FULL SCALE MODEL OF KIRITO'S DARK REPULSER. Fuck yes. Where am I now? A hotel room in my favourite city (based on the ones I've visited, haven't been to Japan yet.) What took you so god damn long to post this? Time is an illusion. WHY THE FUCK IS HEATHER DEAD? We had too many main characters! IS SHE ACTUALLY DEAD? I'd hope so after all that. WASN'T THAT A LITTLE OUT OF NOWHERE AND OVERLY HARDCORE? Absolutely! ':D

New Years resolutions:  
1) Learn Japanese  
2) Write a novel  
3) Learn to admit when I'm wrong  
4) Ace the fuck out of Art  
5) Be nicer to my friends  
6) Stop being such a pussy  
7) FUCKING FINISH ENDERGIRL FOR FUCKS SAKE

How 'bout you guys? I wanna hear the resolution spirit! Teeeeelll meeeee.

Reviews!

PhoenixFlame63: Donuts for Life. Thanks for reviewing. :)  
Sixth Bending: Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying it. But wait, NONE OF THE OTHERS ARE HAREMS? I can't seem to find anything _but_ harems! Maybe we should switch lives. **I read your story, and quite enjoyed it. If anyone else want's to check it out, I'm sure you'll find it entertaining.** Also I watched the video, made me laugh as promised. Hahaha, yeah, the sixties were definitely _something…_ :P  
CobaltXavier: (NOW HOLDS THE RECORD FOR MOST CHAPTERS READ IN A DAY) Hahaha, thanks for reviewing! Honestly, I'm really glad that new people are finding Endergirl, it's always good to have new opinions around. Don't worry about the backgrounds, they'll be coming soon. Stay tuned.  
TheFluffyPuffle: Fluffy! Hia. Um… Well, I never said I was a girl. Then again, I never said I was a guy either. I dunno, it's just kind of entertaining to see what people assume, based on how I write. Besides, I kind of like the idea of letting other people decide how I look. If you think of me as a girl, then that's great, if you think I'm a guy, then that's good too. It's up to you. :)  
Sir Loser: That is a seriously unfortunate name... ':D I'm sorry you had trouble sleeping, but I'm happy you found Endergirl because of it! Welcome, and thanks for reviewing. Get some more sleep though. :)  
StubTailDstroyer: Woah, Stub, I mean I guess it makes sense if you haven't traveled or anything, but it sounds like you haven't heard much about international routines. Christmas has evolved into the most globally celebrated festive season, even among non-Christian religions. As for Halloween, it's been slowly spreading away from America for the last couple of years. I mean, since my family has a somewhat American background, we've always celebrated it, but it's taken a while for it to show up in the country I live in. And hey, it's actually pretty impressive that you enjoy your studies, I wish I was like you sometimes. Make sure you get some good sleep, okay? :)  
PrayForParis: I'm... not quite sure what to say... I'm sorry, that you were so close to those events. And thank god that you weren't caught up in them... Are you doing okay?  
AyyyyLmao: Ayyyyyyyy! :P  
Striker1298: Haha... Whoops. ':D To make up for it, I'll give you a piece of information, that will instantly inform you of my gender... That's right, I'll give you a hint about my _real name. _Ready? 01001001011101000010011101110011001000000111010101101110011010010111001101100101011110000010111000100000001110100010011101000100. I apologize in advance. :'D  
MakeYouLaugh: Insulting, derogatory, sexist, racist, and wrong. I feel so bad for laughing at almost all of them. :'D Thanks for the Thursday humor pickup, I desperately needed that. "Chuck Norris pulled the pin in a grenade, threw it, killed 50 men, and then the grenade exploded." :P  
Ghfux: Hahaha, I can't say that I have, no. But you should definitely be careful about who you bring up a mountain with you. And man, you could sell that as a weight losing routine. You'll be a billionaire. :D Oop, another review! We may be quite similar indeed! Antisocial is somewhat an overused word in my world, I can understand where you're coming from. As for the ellipsis thing, I did some research, and you're absolutely right. It did originate that way, without using spaces. However, as time has gone on, people, especially authors, have laxed the rule substantially. Most editorial sights seem to consider spaces up to personal preference. Still, I tested it without spaces. Sadly, it seems I'm stuck in a habit. :'( But, thank you for correcting me, you taught me something! I actually really appreciate it when someone does. Also, thanks for all your support. Keep writing. :)  
EnderCreepers: I guess you cold say you're... a _fan_ of bad jok- That wasn't even funny. I'm sorry. Thanks for supporting such a horrible writer of comedy. ':}  
CrystalGod: **"IS HEATHER GOING TO BECOME A MAIN CHARACTER"** :'D You are very much right about the donuts. I shall see to it personally. :P  
PBJFanFiction: By god he does. I watched that movie recently. Nothing like the classics. And I did it! I actually got it done in time! Thanks PBJ. :)  
ShineArchetype: Halo is love, Halo is life. And hey, go ahead and send over an OC for the villain I described in the last chapter, we haven't quite decided on one yet! As always, thanks for reviewing, and sorry I took so long to post. Take care Shine. :)  
A Man In A Mask: God damn, you're all over the place. Firstly, *SylentDoom uses PARKOUR, to escape from the collapsing contraption of doom!* Raven may not be cloned, it would be inhuman, and dangerous for the entire world. We can barely handle one Raven as it is. And NO, SKY IS MINE, ALL MINE. I WILL DIE BEFORE I LET YOU TAKE HER. AND CLONING HER .50 IS THE SAME AS CLONING HER, SO NO! GRRRRRRRR. Ideas you say? Hmmm... With great imagination, comes great irresponsibility... "The Sniper Queen" Love it. "Cooking - debuff" Made me laugh out loud. Suspicious principal? FINE, YOU GET ONE, _ONE, _BULLET OF SNIPER TRAINING WITH SKY. BE SURE TO IMPRESS HER. I WANT YOU TO WRITE ALL ABOUT IT IN YOUR NEXT REVIEW. IF YOU FUCK UP HER PERSONALITY, SHE'LL HATE YOU FOREVER. As will I... YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. As for the Unnamed Servant and his/her boss in relation to the new principal... I thought that was pretty obvious. No wait, I'm turning that into a plot twist. Well done. :D Thanks for the support! Worry about uni when you escape from whatever asylum you've been confined to. AND YES, OC. Although when we'll have time to incorporate another one, Notch knows. If he/she doesn't make it into Endergirl, I'll _at least _write a one shot about him/her. AND FOR FUCKS SAKE, GO EAT SOME FOOD. ALSO STOP DRINKING MILK. I AM THE MILK KING/QUEEN! Fallout four is so badass! Later!  
A happy reader: I'm glad you're so loyal to the story. And I'm really happy you like it so much, we've put a lot of work into it. Welcome to the Donut Brigade! I put a lot of hard work into the novella entry, and _hopefully,_ something good comes of it. Take care, Happy Reader. :)  
The D0ctor: Hahaha, doooon't worry, you didn't insult me in the slightest. Actually, I'm really glad that you can relate to David, that's what a protagonist should be. Although, I'm not sure if he'll ever actually get a backstory... his life seems like it'd be pretty boring. But you're probably right. I'll start thinking on it. :) Thanks again for your support, it's always good to have a doctor around. Take care.  
derpysauce: **"You should just like have a terrible train crash happen with Heather on it or something."** Heh. That /\ cost you the entirety of your Donut Brigade brownie points.  
WiseguyJaco. You have never once failed to make a compliment sound creepy. Th- Thank you? I think... ':]  
TheHerobrine: I just checked. You were complaining about David X Amber. :j Don't worry, I've got a plan... Probably.  
TheYinYang: Sorrrrryyyy, last chapter's reviews were pretty hectic because I was so distracted. Still, thanks for not being a dick about it like a certain STRIKER1298. (I'm joking Striker, I love you 3) I just went back and checked the reviews, have I missed yours twice? I'm so sorry. I'll be sure to keep an eye out from now on. Thank you for supporting Endergirl nonetheless. :)  
backlasheaton: Lilith? Ooooooo, _very well spotted._ *Sends virtual donut* You may be perceptive, but you suck at ship names about as much as I do, which is saying something. Yes, Amber is _just_ winning, although after that /\ it's all up in the air. SKY IS MINE. But you may borrow her... After all, I love seeing Endergirl characters in other places. By all means, please do, but show me afterwards. Ah also, I've written her backstory, which will appear later on. Thanks for reviewing. :)  
Chase1998: 1st) Thank you. And well, one less person now. :'D Too soon? I'm sorry. 2nd) Your confidence in me was inspiring enough to put in my all. Hopefully we'll see a good result. 3rd) That was a brilliant idea, which I promptly forgot about. Sorry. :( 4th) I will, when the judging is done in March. Well, looks like that's the end of your review. Thanks as always. :D  
Stunnington: Dear lord, I don't know what to respond to first! The spectacular installment of The Untold Tale Told in the Review Section? Or the brilliant extension of Icarus? Well, all of it is _stunning,_ so I'll just answer in order. You've put a heap of thought into Icarus, and he seems super rad. Roid Rage? Brilliant. As for your questions... 1)** Play Minecraft? Of course I do!** 2) Not often at all anymore, I don't really have anyone to play with. When I was playing, I hosted my own servers. 3)** I would _love_ to play with some of you guys, we should organize something.** 4) THE CAKE IS MOST DEFINITELY A LIE. Hahaha, good questions. That's a brilliant I.G.N. by the way, very creative. Mine's SylentDoom. :P Moving on, HOLY SHIT, YOU'VE BEEN HAVING WEIRD DREAMS TOO!?1 And dude, yours sound even creepier than mine... It's even got a solid plot, which makes it practically more detailed than Endergirl. :'D I hope against all hope that you turn develop it into a full story. As always, thanks for your precious, enigmatic, all knowing, all seeing, comedic, hilarious, creepy review. Stay sylent! Wait, no... that doesn't work. Stay doom? Fuck. B- Bye.  
UncleInTheAttic: Heheh... That's super awkward. Hoi, hoi, I'm not forgetful! I'm just... just... I've forgotten where I was going with this. But nonetheless! Thank you! For your support! And thank you! For your patience! YOU LOST YOUR PLAY PICTURES!? HOW COULD YOU!? *Sigh* Well, at least you liked Raven's splinter personality, I'm glad. As for Amber and Principal Smith... We'll get to that later, hopefully. **"What will become of Heather? - Any harm that befalls her shall be blamed on you!"** Well, shit. _(Sylent's inner voice): 'Change the subject!' _Well, one thing's for sure, I can't wait to see that rendition of R&amp;J, honestly, I've been looking forward to it since you told me the blurb. Make sure to let me know when it's up! Later Oni-chan.  
TechAndIssy: THE ONE GUY/GIRL WHO WILL BE HAPPY SHE'S DEAD! (Aside from Jaco, obviously.) Man, you even referred to her as an "antagonist." :P But that's not what we should be concerned about. ARE YOU ALRIGHT!? WERE YOU HIT BY A SECOND FLYING KNIFE? HOW THE HELL DID THAT EVEN HAPPEN? AND WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING WITH THIS SYJESS FANFIC!? NOT THAT I WON'T READ IT, I'M JUST CONCERNED. Take care, you two. :J  
commanderimf: David's parents? Who knows? Who knows? *Sly twitch* Zoe's web? Use your imagination. ;) Woah, that turned out _way_ kinkier than I had planned. Umm, well that's actually a really good question. If I was going to make something up... I'd say she A) Pulls it from underneath her fingernails. B) Splits apart her skin, and pulls it from her muscles. Or C) Pulls it from her mouth, snapping it off with her teeth. Let me know which one you think works best. Oh, or D) Pulls it from her hair. And yes, Heather _was,_ an author surrogate. :3 Initials? Damn... I was hoping for some secret military code... WAIT, WAIT, LET ME GUESS. Isaac? Ian? Ivan? Was I close? :D  
GashNanase: THANK YOU. **AND YOU ALSO WROTE AN ENDERGIRL SONGFIC WHICH I FOUND BY MISTAKE!** I can't believe you stole my round-winning plot twist. *Spits* Now I have to find a new one. Chiii~. Still, I was really happy when I found it. I feel like you described Amber really well. It gives me confidence as a writer, that the characters are getting through to people. So... even though you stole the plot twist I set out to end the story with... and even though I'm a little pissed... and even though I really like the song you chose... Thank you, b- baka. **Also, if anyone's into lesbians AND/OR Adventure Time, GashNanase has the story for you! Into The City.**  
Mineking57: Miss Smith was originally meant to be one of my friends, but that friend no longer reads Endergirl... But I believe one must take absolutely pleasure in manipulating people's emotions in order to become an accomplished author. That, or I'm just a little creepy. I prefer the first version. :D I ACTUALLY WENT AND WATCHED THE ABRIDGED SERIES AFTER YOU MENTIONED IT! HOLY SHIT, I DID NOT EXPECT IT TO HIT ME WITH _FEELS!_ "Just do it Sachi!" *Sobs* In a way, I think it's more touching then when Asuna got cleaved in half. Ah, spoilers. And hey, don't sell yourself short. I know this may sound like bullshit, and sometimes it is, but in the end, it's the personality that matters most. _Hypothetically__,_ _if_ I were a girl, you'd totally be in with a shot. You're a nice, supportive, funny person. Don't let anyone tell you different. Uhhh.. that was a little more heart-touching than I'm used to... I'll just get back to your review. Yep! David was super distracted and burnt it all! But, Sky still appreciated it. Was it just because she didn't want to waste food? Or was it something else? Who knows? Who knows...

Guys... Guys... That took me like, an entire fucking day. I'm going to just start giving you yes or no answers soon. That doesn't mean I don't want you to review though... Urggghhh, I'm so torn...

What time is it? 12:54 AM. It's my mother's birthday. I should make a card. I'll do that now. But I also have to get up early tomorrow to go to another city... And I also happen to have a cold... Hmmmm...

Remember to go feel some bread.

Ciao.

\- Sylent


	32. Late night snack

**Author Note:**

Alright, a couple things:

1) I've just started my final year of high school. As much as I prefer slaying demons and developing non-existent plot lines, assignments will be coming first this year.  
2) The novel I was planning to write this year, has been put on absolute hold until Endergirl is finished. I'm sure most of you are happy about that.  
3) Who likes Borderlands? Because the first chapter of a certain fanfic is almost complete. If it gets a reasonable following, it will be continued. Chances of continuation are +1, because I like the main character... somewhat. If it is continued, it will stay short, maximum of ten chapters. However, it will be offered up to whoever wants it for further development. Huh, I sound pretty in control...  
4) Some friends got me into playing DnD. I'm enjoying it way too much.

5) I AM LITERALLY SPENDING MORE TIME ANSWERING REVIEWS AND PMS THAN I AM WRITING. That doesn't mean I don't get all excited when I get a new notification from you guys, it's just that if you want quicker chapters, it's not helping. SO! I PROPOSE A THING! LISTEN CLOSELY!

_A THING:_

I'm not going to stop responding to any of you. If you ask me a question, or want to talk about _anything,_ I'll happily take the time to respond. BUT, if you don't care about my reply, or want more Endergirl quicker, type "Let the donuts roll." at the end of your message. This'll let me know, that I don't have to write back. Don't be afraid to take up my time though, I won't get annoyed, Endergirl will just take a little longer. :)

6) Our school formal is coming up. I'm going with Jess. She's wearing a dress the colour of raw bacon. I still haven't decided if I should wear a dress, or a suit, or my comfortable as all fuck dressing gown. Help?  
7) Jess asked me to share her Instagram name with you, so you can see some of her art, and a blurry picture of her, apparently: _MyNameIsJess_  
8) _**WE NEED TWO MORE FAVORITES TO HIT THE TOP FIVE! GOOD JOB PEOPLE, WE MADE IT! THANKS SO MUCH TO ALL OF YOU FOR GETTING US THIS FAR!**_  
9) _Oh my... what could this possibly be? Is it... the next chapter of A Foo-_

Well, I talked too much as usual. Story time!

Starting Perspective: David

* * *

**Late night**** snack.**

We attended the funeral of course.

Although, it all happened so quickly, that it was hard to remember anything specific. The only thing that stood out was us; Raven, Zoe, Key, Amber, Isaac and I. We were the only people her age who attended. Nobody else from school came.

I guess we were the closest things she had to friends.

Of course we all took it pretty badly. But Isaac took it the worst. I remember watching him front up to Heather's house. He stood on the doormat for an age, before raising his fist to the door.

A tall, weary looking man answered it, void of emotion. Even though I was watching from my bedroom window, I could tell what the Creeper was saying…

He was retelling her last moments, and how it had happened. Of course you'd have to be insane to believe such a story. The ex-father looked as if he were about to throttle the boy. It was obvious who he lay the blame on.

The police came around a few times, but couldn't pin anything down. It seemed too easy, but none of us argued. We knew who, or at least _what,_ had been behind it. After all, nothing else had any reason to target us in such a way…

It was just another hybrid attack. Different, but the same. And for once, we didn't win. We had never had a chance in the first place… Of course, for Isaac, there was no 'we'. He was the only one there, the only one who was directly affected…

I sat up in my blankets, having been staring at the roof for the last hour. Amber was awake too, but she lay curled up on the bed, back facing me. I considered saying something, but decided against it. There wasn't much to say. When we had retired that night, I tried to lay down next to her… But in the end, I couldn't…

Jen's kiss flashed to mind as a distant memory. It seemed like such an insignificant thing now, but I still felt guilty. I should have pushed her away, I should have done something. Instead I just stood there like an idiot, and took it.

Usually I'd be brimming with annoyance and embarrassment. I wasn't. Too much had happened to be worried about something that small. Now wasn't the time.

Reaching out around the floor, I worked through the darkness until I found my phone. The light half blinded me as I turned the thing on. I squinted at the numbers on my lock screen.

_4:35 AM_

Stiffly, I sat up. Another sleepless night, huh? Amber flinched slightly as I got to my feet. I would have sat down, tried to put her at ease… but somehow, I felt she was more in control than I was. We all just needed some time to ourselves.

I closed the door softly and turned towards the stairs. There was a light on in the kitchen. Confused, I started down the steps. The fridge doors opened with a click as I neared. Somebody must have gotten hungry…

When I entered, a black hooded Creeper glanced at me from behind the open compartment.

He gave an awkward smile. "Sorry, did I wake you up?"

I returned the expression, trying to keep my concern hidden. "No, just couldn't sleep." The conversation grew silent as we ran out of words. I made another attempt. "Late night snack?"

"Yeah. I'm still not quite sure what all of this stuff is though." Isaac peered into the fridge, distracting himself.

He had been like this for a while.

Pretending to be his usual positive self… It was like he didn't know what else to do. We all watched him cautiously, treading around the boy on thin ice. It was hard to help him, when he seemed to be the happiest one out of us all.

I moved next to him, and followed his inspection. We were running a little low on supplies… "Want me to make you something?"

"If you don't mind…"

"Sure."

We both fell quiet as I mixed up a few eggs and vegetables, pouring them into a pan soon after. It was a couple of minutes before we could lean against the kitchen counter, and dig into our omelettes.

"It's good."

"Could be better."

"Needs bacon." He noted.

A small smirk cornered my mouth between bites. "Remember that bacon we had in Minecraft? I was _so_ hungry that it became the best meal I've ever had."

His lips turned up slightly. "It was pretty good." The thought seemed to trail onto another one. "How's Amber?"

A moment passed as I finished my mouthful. "I think she's been catching up on a lifetime of sleep since you guys first got here. Seems like she can sleep though anything." I lied.

The Creeper chuckled. "That's the problem with the undead. Are you guys dating yet?"

I hid my discomfort and laughed. "We're just friends."

Silence hit as Isaac's stare vacated a little. His fake smile wavered slightly, before dropping. I couldn't help but wince internally. I was being careless. Just because he didn't show it, didn't mean he wasn't hurt. I was about to apologize when his expression snapped back to humour.

"Friends, huh?" He laughed, "You guys have always been pretty close for _friends._"

I stared at him, unable to play along any more. Maybe this was his way of dealing with it, but it was obvious that it was only causing him pain. "Isaa-"

The boy set his empty plate down in the sink, interrupting me. He flashed a smile. "Thanks for the snack David. I'm goin' back to sleep."

"R- Right."

He left the room without another word. My eyes trailed him, encasing my thoughts with worry. How long was this going to last? None of us had ever seen him like this, so none of us knew what to do. But… we couldn't really blame him…

My jaw tensed.

Is that it? Is that all we learn from this? I felt a little disgusted at myself. Are we just planning to mourn her, and then move on? Maybe Isaac's right for being hung up like this. I mean, if it doesn't change _anything,_ then what's the point?

I started back up the stairs, determined.

We've been ignoring this problem for _far_ too long.

* * *

**Perspective Change: The Unnamed Servant**

* * *

"What the _fuck_ were you thinking!?" I yelled through the seeing-pool, which currently projected the shadowed face of a certain murderous hybrid. I already regretted letting him out.

He flashed a creepy grin. "I needed a warm up."

I began pacing again, having been at wits end for the last two days. "No! You didn't! This isn't what we agreed. You weren't supposed to _kill_ anyone!"

The boy shrugged.

A fresh bout of panic rose in my chest. "Are you going to kill more people?"

"_Depends._"

"On what?"

"_How much fun they are._"

Oh god, oh god, oh god. I am _so_ dead. "No more killing! Just do what you're supposed to do, and then get back here!"

"You want me to come back?"

"Y- Yes, obviously."

He titled his head. "No."

"What?"

"No."

"What do you mean 'no'? You have to."

"Why?"

"B- Because… _She'll_ chase you down."

"She'll chase _you_ down."

The implications hit me like a truck. There was no way I was getting out of this alive. I gazed at the boy hopelessly. "What do you plan to do?"

He beamed horrifically. "_I'm going to see my little sister._" The call dropped out as he stepped away.

Oh _god._

I was moments from having a full on break down, when another call came in. The pool shimmered back and forth with its odd ebbing ringtone. I stiffened. "Answer."

The one face I didn't want to see shifted into existence, her blonde curls and blue eyes defining her from anyone else. Despite being in a different dimension, her gaze pierced straight through me. "So, do you want to explain why one of my students is dead?"

My life was forfeit. "Y- You think I did it?"

"I _know_ you did it. Explain!"

Her shout quaked me into submission. "I wanted to split up David and Amber so I sent _Leo._"

"You sent _Leo._ Out of allll, the hybrids… you sent _Leo._"

"Yeah."

"Are you a fucking _idiot?_"

I didn't answer.

The blonde mastermind gave a long groan. "See, now I have to deal with your mess."

"I'm sorry."

"Yes, you are." She hung up.

_Oh god._

* * *

**Perspective Change: A Certain Fedora Sporting Developer**

* * *

My message bank gave off a small ping.

I let go a small sigh, tapping at my IBM keyboard to pause Dungeon Master 2. There's always _something_ to interrupt me. I flicked into my email, and glanced over the addition.

_Jens Bergensten:_

_Morning Markus,_

_Sorry for the interruption, I know you'd rather not hear from us, but there's something you should see. This email rolled into the Mojang helpdesk two hours ago. His email address has been CCed._

_'__The Engineer:_

_There's something we need to talk about. See the picture attached.'_

My interest was piqued slightly, but I knew it was just another of Jeb's tricks. He probably just wanted me to patch some bug. Regardless, I double tapped the JPEG. It opened in a flash.

At first I was mildly confused. It was still early morning after all, I hadn't quite managed to wake up as yet.

In front of me was the face of a girl. She looked as if she had just been shaken out of bed. Her bright purple hair was a mess, and her royal magenta irises were slightly hazed from drowsiness. She's far too cute to be real, my first thought announced.

Of course, then I noticed the Enderpearl around her neck.

My chair fell backwards as I jutted towards the screen. My eyes narrowed, squinting, trying to find any mismatches in the resolution. There were none. The picture was real.

It was a hybrid. And an Ender hybrid, of all things.

If the person who took the photograph was alive long enough to send it, then she was a failed experiment, but that only made it worse…

Somebody actually made contact with a _hybrid…_ And if they can email a picture, then they're on Earth. Which meant they'd found a way between worlds. I groaned.

So much for my retirement.

Leaving my Game of Dungeon Master, I paced out of the study and down the hall. The mansion may have been impressive, but it was really just an excuse. After all, what kind of single person needed _fifteen _bathrooms? That's ridiculous.

No, the real secret was in the basement, where all secret things ought to be kept.

I stopped before the old dining room bookcase, having ignored everything else I passed. Out of habit, my fingers tugged at a thinly bounded book. Of course this particular shelf was filed with nothing but fanfictions, which I had taken the liberty of printing off from the internet in order to create a personal library. They were all quite amusing to read, and some of them skimmed _freakishly _close to the truth. In the end, I had to put them down to avoid a worsening case of paranoia.

The copy of _Cupa, _a personal favourite, tilted outwards, triggering the door mechanism.

The floor began to rotate beneath me as the revolving bookcase did its job. I ignored the memories of playing with this thing for days when it was first installed, and waited patiently until I arrived on the other side. The device gave a small thud, sealing off the outside world and plunging me into darkness.

The lights flickered on overhead, revealing a descending staircase. The wooden boards gave a creepy squeak as I hurried down them.

The wide space that stretched out ahead was like something from a D-grade alien movie. Stapled to one wall was a wide assortment of weapons, hauling everything from rocket launchers through to katanas. It paid to be prepared after all. On the other wall, a collection of obsidian rimmed rectangles, sat like empty doorways to other worlds… Which was exactly what they were. And of course, amongst it all in the room's centre, was a wide seeing-pool, the water calmly tranquil.

Slowing at its edge, I peered down to find the Nether Star dulled and empty. A clap of the hands changed that. Rays of light shot out in every direction, momentarily blinding me before settling down. The pool quivered with life.

Still accelerating in shock, I tapped at the controls. "Call the Nether Dungeon."

Ripples coated the surface, flowing momentarily before the call was picked up. A familiar face appeared on the other side, seemingly distressed.

"_Oh god!_"

I let annoyance seep through my eyes, chilling the panicked servant to a halt. "Where is she?"

"W- Where is who?" The mumbling figure attempted.

"The blonde bitch."

"Uhhh… Not a clue."

"Okay, then explain to me why there's a _hybrid,_ on _my _planet!" My voice careened through dimensions, sending the receiver back a step.

"I don't know!" He cowered.

For it was a 'he'. I think… I'd never really made up my mind. Short cropped brown hair, classic grey serving clothes which hid any figure, and plain red eyes, like every Nether born creature. The tanned skin and sharp facial features gave nothing away… I caught myself pondering again, reverting to my outraged state. "Listen here, you either tell me what the _hell_ is going on, or I'll jump over there and strangle it out of you."

'He' paused for a minute, either considering the solidity of my words, or his options. Eventually, the servant caved in, seeming to realise his chances were never good to begin with. "You may want to sit down."

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

A reply dropped into my inbox about four hours later.

_Markus Pearson:_

_Hello David,_

_It would seem you've become tangled up in something you shouldn't have. But first, I must ask… how much do you know?_

I stared in awe at my monitor. Markus Pearson, _Notch,_ had just sent _me_ an email. It was like talking to a god. Which I realized may not be far from the truth…

I responded quickly, trying to remain professional and not fangirl him.

_The Engineer:_

_I'm glad you're taking this seriously._

_I know what they are, where they come from, and what it's like on their home world. We're constantly being attacked by 'mob souled hybrids' and up until a couple days ago, we had managed to protect ourselves._

_We need answers. What really are hybrids? Why are we being attacked? How do we stop them?_

My message left out any details on the Enderdragon egg. I wasn't sure why, but I didn't get the time to consider it. Notch's return message was instant.

_Markus Pearson:_

_They're coming after you because you stole the Enderdragon egg. Honestly, what the hell were you thinking?_

My surprise overtook the questions he had skipped. I suddenly felt a little defensive.

_The Engineer:_

_How do you know that? My name as well… this email address is anonymous, I made sure._

_Markus Pearson:_

_That's not important. What's important is getting rid of that egg._

He wasn't planning to reveal anything.

_The Engineer:_

_Fine, what do you suggest? Should we just hand it to them? It would certainly save us some trouble._

His next reply took longer. It was as if he became lost in thought…

_Markus Pearson:_

_No, that could be disastrous. If they get their hands on that egg, it could spell Armageddon for us all. You have my thanks for protecting it this long._

_There's a safe hold… a place where the End would never dare to touch. I'd take it myself, but that could cause some diplomacy issues. You'll need to do it._

Diplomacy issues huh? Maybe not such a god after all… But my mind was already occupied with the newest revelation. We can get rid of the egg? Safely? And if we don't, the world ends… But how? He wasn't going to tell me… But did we have much choice? We needed to shake our attackers.

_The Engineer:_

_Where is it?_

I almost fell from my chair as somebody's hands fell lightly onto my shoulders.

The amusement in her voice was only slight. "It's just me."

I could recognise her scent now as a thin strand of silver fell into view. Unconsciously, my muscles stiffened.

Amber felt the change in my shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

She swivelled me in my office chair, trying the find my eyes. I caught the desk in resistance. Now wasn't the time, not after Heather… I'd tell her what happened with Jen later.

Even if it did drive me insane in the meantime.

I changed the subject, nodding towards my monitor. "We've got a lead."

Her pause considered what I was doing, but decided to let it go. "What do you mean?"

"There's somewhere we can take the egg, apparently."

"The egg? Where?"

My inbox pinged. Notch's next message gave me a hit of false enthusiasm, turning up a sarcastic smirk.

_Markus Pearson:_

_The Nether._

The Nether… fan-fucking-tastic. I don't know what I was expecting, but the fire breathing pit of hell hadn't exactly come to mind. Why not a secret base, or a nice little garden? A small laugh echoed internally. Well, what the hell. I turned to stare straight at the girl behind me. She looked expectant, catching onto my change in mood.

"It's time to end this."

A smile rose to her lips.

* * *

**Author Note:**

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT! ENDERGIRL FINALLY GOT A PLOTLINE! Congrats everybody, GG, we made it.

Anyway, I'd like to introduce another one of my friends. Her name is Nicola. She's a pretty recent follower of Endergirl, but I value her opinion a great deal. And as I was looking over your reviews, most of them being about ships, and "Is she really dead?" I decided you might appreciate her responses. Being the author, I can't really express my opinion on ships and stuff, because that'd give away a metric shit-ton of spoilers. Nicola however, has as much of an idea about what's going on as you do. :D

She's also not as lazy as Jess.

She didn't respond to everyone, but she did do a lot. Note that I resisted the urge to correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. She can take it from here. :)

* * *

**Author Change: Nicola (Neko-Chan)**

* * *

Hi I'm Nicola or just Nic and I'm helping Sy here do some reviews cause there are so many. I guess I should tell you a bit about myself. My hobbies include: reading, gaming, terribly drawing, horse riding, hockey, softball and watching YouTube. Some things I like are: desserts, popish music, traveling, my fandoms, and listening to people play music. My dislikes are: horror movies, spiders and bikes. So that my little intro so um on to the reviews!

Mineking57 – I totally agree with you on the rollercoaster thing, so many emotions in one chapter. First, she is gone now. Second, Skyridas, I'm not entirely sure what's going to happen with that ship but I'm cool with it. That is ship could work and now I hope it does. Third, SAO is good. Fourth who knew? I sure didn't. Fifth, I hope Sy isn't implying Amber and Felix that would ruin everything and I DIDN'T KNOW I WANTED KEYLIX AND NOW I SO DO. Sixth, Ravac seems to becoming more of a thing now. Seven, YES, YES PUSH HIM. Eight, I'm not allowed to tell. Thank you and happy new year to you as well. ;P Nic  
Shine Archetype – Hello! Merry Christmas and New Year to you. It was a tragic and cruel death but yes the bloated cast it now starting to shrink and probably won't stop, unfortunately heather was the first victim her death I feel was pointless. The Halloween special were delayed but they are here now nether the less. OC's came out of nowhere and just overtook everything, for about a week it was just OC everywhere and the donut brigade it certainly increasing for sure. I'll ask Sy to help and give you some tips, because I personally suck at writing, just spam Sy's PMs they'll get there eventually. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter and long reviews are ok, everyone else seems to do them. I hope your story goes well! ;P Nic  
The D0ctor – I know how you feel. I absolutely loved heather, she was a refreshing new face that didn't have to be a main character but nope Sy just had to kill her. David should have guessed that something was up when the chick kissed him. Thank you for the feedback. ;P Nic  
backlasheaton – I hope you do start to write Sy and myself will check out your story if it happens just PM Sy. If you want I can ask them to give you some tips if you like. ;P Nic.  
Chase1998 – Hi. I hope you have a good year too. It's good to hear you are enjoying this story even if a girl died. There is at least 30 pages of reviews sooo use your imagination ;P. Thanks again for supporting the story and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! ;P Nic  
TheHerobrine \- ? You Sir make a valded point about the name, I doubt Sy will change it they're too lazy. What do you sudjest the title should be called instead of Endergirl if the pairing changes. Thanks you for your support! ;P Nic  
TechAndIssy – I'm just going to start by saying I'm a huge fan of your work espeacially 'Merciless Slaughter, the Tale of Lucas Troy' I'm LOVING IT! Now it is about time Sy finally released another chapter and I'm pretty sure the bloated cast of main characters is going to start dwindling soon. I highly doubt that heather will come back at all (although I'm not opposed to it). Getting hit with Knives doesn't sound like it would be nice, I hope you feel better. ;P Nic  
WiseguyJaco – hahaha yeah one less character. ;P Nic  
StubTailDstroyer – Last chapter sure was a twist wan't it. What is your story called and where could I find it? Well I hope this chapter just as entertaining as the last to you. ;P Nic  
striker1298 – um thanks for your support? ;P Nic  
A Man In A Mask chapter – Um please don't punch your neighbour we don't want to be liable for that. How high is potato sky high? Hahaha the friendzone strikes again and what's up with key (COULD IT BE FORESHADOWING FOR SOMETHING!) Solitary confinement doesn't sound fun. Isn't a see-through eyepatch do the opposite of what a normal eyepatch is suppose to. If only david listen to your advice before you were crushed by a boulder. I don't know guns are those good? WHAT IS WITH YOU PEOPLE AND FEELING BREAD, I mea come on it's ridiculous. ;P Nic  
MynameisJess – HEY JESS! It was a cruel death that didn't have to happen, Sy could have just sent her away. It got me write in the feels heathers death. I guess Sy just really liked Titanic and irony. You have to figure which character it is on your own. ;P Nic  
Guest (Jan 3) – I think Sy was running out of ideas of how to kill off heather without themselves having to think to hard about it. Hopefully the next death (there will probably be more) will be in a cool way like a fight or a hero's death. It was weird that the creeper didn't get hit huh (or maybe that's foreshadowing, duh-duh-daaa). ;P Nic  
EnderCreepers – Please don't inflate Sy's joke making capabilities, they'll only make more jokes and puns (it's a bad thing trust me). I hoped you enjoyed this chapter! ;P Nic  
A happy reader – Its seems that the Amber X David ship is happening again and what will happen with that picture (I'm thinking blackmail) also Jacob probably wants those pick because he is a douche. Heather's death wasn't planned Sy didn't think she would get so popular and so they killed her off as there was too many characters I think, but it's sad all the same. I though the 'We' Issac talked about was just referring to monster hybrids in general but just creepers could work too but maybe there will be a backstory for Issac soon. That's a good resolution so set and thanks for your support for Endergirl! ;P Nic  
Sixth Bending – Well that's not the definition I would use for harem but I guess each person thinks about things differently. Heather wasn't scripted to be a main character so hence the killing of her because I think there was way too many characters (although I'm sad that she died). Not all chapter can be action I'm afraid there's only so many words Sy can type before they stop. NOW YOU'RE FEELING BREAD TOO, this has got out of hand. I hope you have a good year too and thank you for the support. ;P Nic  
FierKett32 – Reading from start to finish at this point of the story is quiet a feet and thank you for your support of the story. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter and welcome to the donut brigade. ;P Nic  
UncleInTheAttic \- I don't think I'm supposed to say where we live. AND I KNOW SY JUST HAD TO KILL HER. Does Jaco doing things to Sy include me or should I just pass this message on? Feeling bread means nothing don't worry (I think Sy gone crazy though). Dopamine might be one hormone that release when you're happy but Serotonin is the key hormone of happiness, since it regulates mood, prevents depression, thwarts irritation and makes you happy and sociable. Thank you for your support! ;P Nic  
Inferno – Thank you for your review all are helpful and I hope you like a fool's conviction just as much as Endergirl! ;P Nic  
dartwaffle – I'm not allowed to give Sy's gender away so keep speculating. Lesbian girlfriends must have been tough on a guy. I'm sure Sy might take you up on that offer (sorry if my grammar offends you). Thank you Sy has put a lot of effort into this series and they love those plot twist so stick around for more. ;P Nic  
Why – I really hoped heather didn't have to but I think it was because there was too many characters. BUT I MISS HER SO MUCH. (Also your review fits your usename, that's cool) ;P Nic  
pierceblake – I KNOW RIGHT. I'M SO MAD ABOUT HER DYING. IT WAS PETTY AND CRUEL. She totally should have learnt about the group but that would mean she would still be alive. ;P Nic  
MattyJones – Thanks for the praise and don't get me started about what just happened with heather. Which would you rather though Key x David or Amber x David or maybe even plot twist KEY X AMBER?! ;P Nic  
Ghostprone52 – I don't even know what the votes will tell, some ship many be destroyed in the near future by cannons I think. There might be a harem but hopefully not (I just think it would be weird but each to their own I guess). The plot does get confusing in places but it's supposed to be I think and the climax should be coming soon. CLIFFHANGERS ARE THE WORSE THING EVER. Sy I think is trying to refocus on the main group as these side characters are getting a bit out of hand but I find them refreshing. Jacob playing an antagonist is a thing but I don't think he will become a main villain, he's probably just there to stir shit up and then leave again. Thanks for praise on Endergirl. ;P Nic  
pormetheus – so you're a Damber shipper too nice! ;P Nic  
Stunnington – 1. DON'T PUT THOUGHTS IN SY'S HEAD, heathers death was bad enough not to mention cruel and over the top but DON'T PUT POOR FELIX IN DANGER! 2. That sounds like a resolution I should do but nah, good for you though dude. 3. That sounds like a good concept for a 'minecraft with the author' 5. You're weird. Did that help. Jess is very lazy and doesn't want to do many things, that's why I'm here doing reviews (that and I'm such a nice person who is easily bribed). 6. I haven't seen that particular anime but it sounds that it could be cool and weird, I might check it out. OH NO YOU'RE USING RAD TOO NOOOOO. 7. Nice hunger game referance and some readers might check out the reviews (I do) but other wise you are the winning tribute. 8. Dude, WHY 10. That's a win lose stiutation you have there 11. You had to have a bread beast didn't you, although that reminds me of an enemy from Pikmin the giant breadbug, but this story was entertaining never the less. OH NO YOU'RE FEELING BREAD TOO! ;P Nic  
Legomaster17683 – If you meet them that is. But don't worry I have already slapped Sy for you for killing Heather. Thank you for the suggestion but I doubt it will be revised but if it does Heather's death could be in Issac's view. ;P Nic  
Grave Walkers – Thank you for the support! ;P Nic  
derpysauce – YES! I loved Heather but her death was unnecessarily over the top and if Sy had to kill her off in a different way it should have been in a crash and somewhere far away. ;P Nic  
commanderimf – Something was always going to happen to Heather but I feel like she didn't need to die a gruesome death, because I didn't think she was ever a treat to the Issac x Raven ship. Thank you for the support and review. ;P Nic

* * *

**Author Change: AND HIS NAME WAS JOHN CE- No wait, it's just SylentDoom**

* * *

Woah, she put a lot of effort into that. Heh, she even referred to Sylent as a "them". Actually that's a good point... AM I REALLY JUST ONE PERSON!? Who knows? You do, hopefully. I'm unsure why she saw the need to sign every review, I mean she already introduced herself... Maybe it's just so she can jump in on my author notes in the future; hmmmmm, this could be problematic.

So, the chapter has been done for almost three days already... Let's see how long this takes...

Reviews!

**NEW THING: FUNNIEST REVIEW  
WiseguyJaco: "Side character death :)"** You never fail to creep me out Jaco. :j

Guest (Feb 6): *Tips fedora*  
KazeWolf016: Hahaha, thanks Kaze, you're a legend. Really glad you're enjoying it so much. Stay tuned. :D  
Inferno: Two days? Impressive! Well, more is what you'll get, eventually. ':D And hey, thanks for the support, I'm hoping for the best. Also, side note... I might be wrong, but, do you happen to be a fan of Phantom no Requiem?  
Dartwaffle: "Fairly obvious you're a guy." You're probably right. I'm freakishly tall, play basketball, swear a lot, and have a heap of male orientated hobbies; looking at that, it's only natural to assume I'm a boy. But, *Cue Pheonix Wright SFX* _**OBJECTION**_**!** In my experience, every guy and girl takes breakups differently. I know guys that have brooded over a lost relationship for months, and the same for girls. I also know people who can get over it in a snap. If anything, I just feel like girls are better at hiding it, although that's probably a bias opinion. Then again, you may have more experience than me... I'm probably just being naive. Still, I will always maintain that _everyone_ will take _everything_ differently, regardless of gender. Ahem, sorry, got a little carried away. ':3 ... Ouch. That's incredibly merciless... Was this very long ago? Are you doing okay now? - I'm really glad you're enjoying Endergirl so much though, you're review practically made my day when it rolled in. Unfortunately, Jess just moved to English Communication, so she's next to useless for beta-reading, and even more unfortunately, I'm going to have to decline you're awesome offer to lend a hand. You do seem like a grade A' Grammar Nazi, but getting it beta-read by anyone only adds a few more hours/days onto the upload time, something that we're already struggling with. But overall, thanks for everything, take care, and stay tuned. :) **NOW HOLDS THE RECORD FOR MOST CHAPTERS READ IN A DAY.**  
Why: BECAUSE THERE WERE TOO MANY CHARACTERS AND WE NEEDED A PLOT.  
pierceblake: ALL THE MORE TRAGIC, SHE DIED WITHOUT KNOWING WHY. SHE WILL _NEVER _KNOW.  
MattyJones: Hahaha, that we did! This story has received far more attention than I ever would've imagined. Sorry 'bout Heather, but somebody had to die eventually, I was getting bored. ':D Thanks for reviewing though. Who do you think should get with David?  
XavDarkri5: Eh? Chapter three? Why so?  
A Man In A Mask: Hahaha, yeah, it was just one of those things. If we kept prolonging any major events, the story wouldn't go anywhere, so I just kind of gave it a _very large_ push. It kind of reminds me of a manga called Fuuka, give it a read if you want, but expect to cry. :'( Oh, also, Stunnington (Another reviewer) says you'll never beat him in "The 27th Annual Long Review Games!" Ready, FIGHT! - Oh wait, you made two reviews! Hahaha, loving your running commentary of notable moments, it's hilarious, and I'm glad people are actually having reactions to my writing, rather than just pushing through the droning to get to the juicy bits. AND REALLY!? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CHALLENGE HIM IF I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT BASTARD IS!? New years resolutions are all spot on, much good luck with completing them, especially number one. YOU MUST USE THAT BULLET QUICKLY, OR I'LL STEAL IT FROM YOU. Oh, also, quick; thanks heaps for your review on Aqua, I won't go into it much, but you literally gave me MUCH NEEDED inspiration for my Media short film, which is now set in a wasteland. :)  
Ghostprone52: Firstly, thanks for the support, and a really nice review. Secondly, I have learnt _sooooooo_ much about writing over the past year, and I wholeheartedly agree with all of your opinions, and would change them in a snap if I could go back and do so. Sadly, that's the thing about publishing online, you don't really get chances to go back and change stuff when you have a following. :( AND MY PET HATE ARE STORIES THAT CHANGE FROM FIRST TO THIRD PERSON. So that won't be happening. However, you can expect any stories I release from now on to be far superior, hopefully. Still, we'll struggle through with this one until it's done, so please bare the momentous perspective changes, lack of plot, and awkward language, with me, while we all struggle through this. :D Keep reviewing, I like you. :P  
prometheus: Kawaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii desu?  
Stunnington: I hate to do this to you Stun, but It'll be short responses for you this month. :P 1) YOU ARE A HORRIBLE PERSON! But I actually giggled at it as well. :'D WE ARE HORRIBLE PEOPLE. 2) Hey, hey, your final year as well? Let's hit it with everything we've got! 3) Fuck yeah! Let's play Minecraft! I currently have a server all set up actually. It should be good for another month or so... Hmmmm, well, it would be awesome to just have a couple of you guys on. _Ohhhh, I'd have to change my skin though..._ I'll post something in the below author note. 4) Forgive me! Icarus was _really_ good! But, so was Leo. (Don't hit me) 5) I asked her about it. "Tell Stunnington he's weird." Before I even told her what you said. So, uhhh, that was easy. :D 6) I HAVE SEEN INFINITE STRATOS! Never finished it though... It was pretty rad. Worth a rewatch I reckon. And man, your dreams are all over the place. 7) Done. :J 8) _**STOP**_ :'D 9) EHHHHHHHHH!? Damn, just like Endergirl then. 10) A camera!? What sort? Should probably mention I'm a little bit of a freak Media student. 11) I now have a reminder set on my phone, for every day at 7AM "Fight a giant piece of toast." It'll remind me not to take things so seriously. You're the best Stun. :) FEEEEEEEEEEL THE BREEEEEEEEAD.  
Legomaster17683: THAT IS PROBABLY FAIR ENOUGH. The chapter will not be revised, probably ever, because I think she was killed off perfectly, with just the right touch of hopelessness. It made Isaac realize that he's not untouchable. Thanks for the review Lego. :P  
Grave Walkers: Sure will dude! Stay tuned. :)  
derpysauce: Hahaha, oh Derpy, I'm sorry. You're totally right though. I just wanted to remind everyone that Endergirl is a dark story, it's not all fluff. Heather, in my opinion, was the right way to do that. Plus, Isaac needed a push, as did the rest of the group. I guess we'll see how it all plays out. Sorry about the "game of thrones garbage" I do feel a little bad. Will you keep reading?  
commanderimf: Glad you think so REDACTED, yep, that's your new name. :D Fingernails you think? Done. And yeah... I dunno, she had a few of my qualities I guess, which made her a surrogate. And now she's dead, just like my bank account. Take care. :P  
TheHerobrine: Don't worry bruh, I've got some sick plans for that problem. I mean you'll all hate me for it, but _hey, what could possibly go wrong?_ Right? Sorry about the "complain" I was a little prissy last chapter. You're a legend. Thanks for the support. :)  
StubTailDstroyer: Heya! New phone!? What type? Hahaha, you need to get out and _see the world_ man! It's awesome out there, so much more to learn than any school will teach you. Hey, maybe will meet each other in Japan someday? And woah, that's a ridiculous amount of heritage there. You should track down your long lost relatives. Write a book about it! Speaking of your writing, WRITE MORE OFTEN, UPDATE _A BRAND NEW OLD WORLD!_ IT'S GOOD! And yeah, unexpected scenes always keep readers on their toes. :P  
striker1298: Yeah, well take this asshole: 01001000011000010110100001100001011010000110000100101100001000000110000101110010011001010010000001110111011001010010000001110010011001010110000101101100011011000111100100100000011001000110111101101001011011100110011100100000011000110110111101100100011001010110010000100000011011010110010101110011011100110110000101100111011001010111001100100000011011100110111101110111001111110010000001010111011001010110110001101100001000000100100100100000011100110111010101110000011100000110111101110011011001010010000001110100011010000110100101110011001000000111011101100001011100110010000001100001011011000110110000100000011011010111100100100000011001100110000101110101011011000111010000100000011101000110111100100000011000100110010101100111011010010110111000100000011101110110100101110100011010000010111000101110001011100000110100001010000011010000101001001001001001110110110001101100001000000111010001100101011011000110110000100000011110010110000100100111001000000111001101101111011011010110010101110100011010000110100101101110001001110010000001110100011011110010000001101101011000010110101101100101001000000111010101110000001000000110011001101111011100100010000001110100011010000110010100100000011011000110000101110011011101000010000001101101011001010111001101110011011000010110011101100101001011100010000001001001001001110111011001100101001000000110001001100101011001010110111000100000011100110110110001101111011101110110110001111001001000000110000101100100011001000110100101101110011001110010000001110011011001010110011101101101011001010110111001110100011100110010000001110100011011110010000001100001001000000110001101101000011000010111000001110100011001010111001000100000011001100110100101110110011001010010000001100110011011110111001000100000010000010010000001000110011011110110111101101100001001110111001100100000010000110110111101101110011101100110100101100011011101000110100101101111011011100010111000100000010011100110111101110100001000000111001101110101011100100110010100100000011101110110100001100101011011100010000001101001011101000010011101101100011011000010000001110000011101010110110001101100001000000111010001101000011100100110111101110101011001110110100000100000011101000110100001101111011101010110011101101000001011100000110100001010000011010000101001001100011000010111010001100101011100100010000001101101011000010110111000101110001000000011101000101001 THIS MADNESS NEEDS TO STOP.  
MynameisJess: Oh fuck off, you knew she was going to die for _ages._ Wait, I already answered most of these when you took _advantage_ of my cold, and _exploited _my unguarded thoughts. :{  
Guest (Jan 3): Yeah, you're right... I know you're right. *Sobs*  
EnderCreepers: Hahaha, thanks Ender. :D  
A happy reader: Glad you think so! Oh, she was set to die as soon as most of the Donut Brigade said "Heather's really cool! Is she a main character?" NO, NO SHE IS NOT. And hey, hey, you're getting in shape too? Let's hit the gym every second day. "WE CAN BE SEPARATED BY OCEANS, BUT NOT BY WORK OUT ROUTINES." - SylentDoom, 2016. Take care. :P  
Sixth Bending: Let's be honest, it's pretty much a soft-core orgy. Too petty? Gotch'ya. Worry not, we're getting pretty close to the climax here. Much action, much gore, much delight for sadist. Give your friend my regards as a fellow Breadian, and you have a good year too. :)  
Mineking57: Yeah, not sure what's up with Sky and Kori, it just sort of came out… Guess we'll see where it goes. Yep, David plays violin. I like violins. Hahaha, man, your ships are all over the place. But Jacob has a lot more planned for him before he's getting dropped… trust me. Muha, muhahahahahahaha. Yep, Sam _could_ be my name, along with _Sandy, Sabine, Saadiah, Sage, Sajen._ Hahaha, I could have a name of any nationality. :P HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!  
PBJFanFiction: No need to apologise my friend. BUT YOU SHOULD APOLOGISE FOR HAVING A LEGO FALCON BEFORE ME, AND A FUCKING 3D PRINTER, AND A FUCKING STOCKADE. I won't comment on Clash of Clans... HIGHSCHOOL CRUSH?! TELL ME EVERYTHING! Hahaha, listened to all of your suggested songs. I'd say Smoke &amp; Mirrors was probably my favorite, although Pick a Universe incited some pretty powerful nostalgia. You might've heard these ones before, but check out _Sail, _by _Awolnation,_ and _Iron,_ by _Woodkid._ Personal favorites. You might like them. Take care. :)  
FierKett32: **Ooooo, so close to reading all the chapters in one day. RECORD FOR MOST CHAPTERS READ IN SIX HOURS?** Hahaha, well done regardless, that's an impressive feat. You must read a hell of a lot to get up to those speeds. Thanks for creating an account just for us! Welcome to the Donut Brigade! :D  
UncleInTheAttic: Pffffffffffffft, _noooooooooo,_ whaaaaaat? Shenanigans! NO! DON'T GIVE JACO THAT POWER, I'M SOOOOOORRRRRYYYYYY! Still, thanks (I think) for the... support? :P I MEAN, LITERALLY GO GET A PIECE OF BREAD, AND JUST _FEEL_ IT. If you want more writing, don't sacrifice me to the Dark Lord Jaco. :J And yeah, I got the dopamine reference. I always google anything I don't understand immediately, and then print it to memory. You guys teach me so much. :D  
The D0ctor: *Broods over horrific and tragic material* "It was a great chapter, I love it." :'D Gotta love ya' Doc, thanks for the review. :)  
backlasheaton: Awwwwwww, shame. It'd be cool to see your work! DON'T LISTEN TO THAT SPLIT PERSONALITY! Just open a Word document, and type out a line, it's 9001 times easier from there. :) - AND YOU'RE A FAN OF PHANTOM NO REQUIEM TOO! INTERNET HIGH FIVE!  
Chase1998: **I think you'll be happy to know these author notes are now longer than the actual chapter! Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucking hell...** Anyway, yeah, sad cuz that chick died and all, but meh, whatever right? Hope thirty two meets your expectations. Happy Chinese New Year, Chase. :P Oh, and I did a _little_ work, on _A Fool's Conviction.__.._

_**SEVEN DAYS HAVE NOW PASSED SINCE THE CHAPTER WAS ACTUALLY FINISHED.**_ Just letting you know. *Flinches like a madwoman*

I was meant to say something important here... what was it?

**OH YEAH, WHO WANTS TO PLAY SOME MINECRAFT WITH ME!?** I'll probably have a few free nights within the next month, _and_ I have a server running at the moment. This was all Stunnington's idea, so blame him for the next part; SLOTS ARE LIMITED, so if you're up for a couple hours of game time with a few Donut Brigade members and myself, all you have to do is write a short (or not so short, up to you) Endergirl spin-off. Post it in a review, or as an actual story, and let me know. Doesn't matter how good your writing is, or anything else. I'm just really interested to see what you guys would do with the story if you had the chance. And if you do, the IP is yours. After that, we can organize a time, ect. Hey, Jess might even show up. :P

Side note: For everyone who has sent PMs and never got a reply, I'm so sorry, I'll try to respond ASAP within the next few days. I let my inbox pile up again... ':D (Sorry, sorry, sorry)

Anyway... Thank you, to all of you. I never would've guess that one of my stories would become this popular, it's insane. And hey, I've been shortlisted for that novella comp. It only goes up from here. :) You guys are all legends. Take care of yourselves. 'Til next time -

Ciao.

\- Sylent


	33. BAM! And the heroes are gone!

**Author Note:**

Let's be honest. I'm not doin' great at keeping up with everything. Currently, there are 24 unread messages in my inbox, and many more reviews. According to the numbers, my last update was about _three months_ ago. So that sucks.

Bright side? I went from an average C student to an average A student just in time for grade twelve. Dropped physics, thank fuck. Went through another depression/anxiety stage, whoooooooop. Entered and won another writing competition. Went to the writing conference that accompanied it, learnt a heap of stuff, met some authors. Aaaaaaand, I'm attempting to find my writing style again. Feel like I lost it somewhere. Every sentence is getting harder and harder to write, and the _flow_ is all ruined... Maybe I'm freaking out. But I read the first chapter of my Borderlands fic (which is almost done) and I'm still wondering if I actually wrote it, because it is _ten times_ better than anything I've written for the past few months. Among other things, my artwork has been getting more and more fucked up, people actually become concerned for me when they see it. ZOOTOPIA IS SO FUCKING CUTE. Ahem.

Started playing piano again. Moanin', by Art Blakey.

And that was the "me" spam since I saw you last. Tune in text time, on Sylent FM. Heh... Sylent FM... what an ironic title.

ONE THING, I forgot to mention. The OC for Leo (Heather's murderer) belongs to TheHerobrine! So blame him for everything! :P Hopefully we'll see more of his OC within the next few chapters.

Umm... So that aside. I'm sorry I haven't been replying to your messages. I do this sometimes. Just shut everyone out. And now I'm not really sure where to start. ':D It might be a fair while before I get back to anyone. But If a PM drops into my inbox, I'll try to answer it as soon as I see it. Sorry, again.

I think you guys might like this one. :)

Staring Perspective: David

* * *

**BAM! And the heroes are gone!**

School wasn't great.

Notch needed some time to make preparations, so we were stuck here until he gave the green light. There weren't many people that trusted us anymore. From the hyper popular, to the associates of murder. Isaac's fan club was wiped out overnight, Key's friends barely came within ten meters of her, and… well, the rest of us never really had anyone else to begin with.

Felix didn't seem all that fazed by it.

Everyone _'knew'_ that Isaac killed Heather. But he didn't believe the rumours. It was a little odd actually, that the reporter wasn't keen on jumping for the major story waved his way.

_Saint Vince's Herald,_ the competing paper, had already plastered a poorly Photoshopped picture of us on their front page, blood soaking our hands.

Saint Vincent's Weekly had asked its readers to help look for Miss's Yaskove's cat, who had gone missing last Thursday.

It wasn't hard to see why Felix's club was sinking into bankruptcy. Still, surprisingly, he didn't pester us too much. He showed up once or twice to see how we were doing, but didn't press any questions.

Sky didn't show at all. Although, sometimes I smelt a cigarette on the air. Who knows what she thought of us. She's an assassin, I suppose. Maybe she didn't care.

Aside from those two, we were pretty much alone. Principal Smith watched us from afar, never stepping forwards to start a conversation. Nobody else had the courage.

As such, it was a waiting game.

Our classes held no meaning, no point in paying attention. We were about to jump ship into an alien world. How would fourth period history help us? Raven was slumped into her arms, resting on her desk instead of pestering the girl next to her. Key half-heartedly copied down notes, trying to pay attention. Isaac sat motionless at his desk, which was surrounded by a moat of space, a no man's land where the girls had separated from him.

I stared out the window.

It hadn't snowed for a while, but a white sheet still covered the scenery. The windows were a little foggy from the internal heating. It made it stuffy, but comfortable nonetheless. Oddly, I didn't feel too bad about having to leave this place. It felt as if I were going on a holiday, a short plane trip overseas. Most people would have left it at that…

But I'm not that naïve. Minecraft has proven to be a place of danger. I barely survived it last time. Not everything would go according to plan. It wasn't just a quick pop into the Nether where we would drop off a dragon egg and then come waltzing back home…

Home.

Where is home, for everyone? Mine's on Earth, yes. As is Raven's… What about _them?_ I had never really looked at them as a different species before. I mean, I had… but they were too similar to think deeply about it. They may be drifters, but that doesn't mean they don't belong somewhere. If presented with the option, would they even want to come back? And if they did, what then?

Although, nothing had been stopping them from leaving…

I shut my brain down before it began to rekindle old habits. Those decisions were up to them, entirely.

But… would _she_ stay?

* * *

**Perspective Change: Amber**

* * *

"So you finally went and killed someone, did you?"

I stared blankly at the woman, amazed that even she would fall that low. Slowly, I pulled the door shut behind me, and wandered towards my desk. Looking at anyone only resulted in a loss of eye contact. They were scared…

"Good morning, Amber." A familiar voice offered.

I looked down to the bespectacled boy, who was clad in a thick woollen jumper. "Hey Felix." My smile may have been a little forced, but it seemed to send the right message.

"Don't make petty conversation with a murderer!" Our boar of a teacher raged behind us.

Felix ignored her, pursing his lips slightly. "Are you holding up okay?"

I couldn't help the beginnings of a laugh. "Yeah, I'm alright. The others…" my sentence trailed off, starting up again as I renewed my efforts "not so much."

The heavy footsteps of a troll thundered through the room as our colossally fat mentor waded up behind me. I began to wonder if she'd put a hole in the floor if I pushed her over.

A beefy hand clamped down on my shoulder. "Listen here you _monster,_ I don't know how you got away with it, but I _know, _you slaughtered that girl. And so help me god if I'm the only one who does something about it!"

My anger was beginning to boil over. This was too far, too much. Every time something went wrong, every time one of us was hurting, _she_ would be there to corrupt it. I felt icy coldness seep into my eyes, taking on an all too familiar streak of darkness. A tightly woven barrier snapped like a twig inside my brain. I stared down at the thick fingers which dug into my skin. _"I am not, a murderer."_ My voice hissed like steel.

The woman flinched, but some strike of stupidity made her latch back on, spinning me around to face her.

She peered into my eyes. My _soulless, black eyes._

"What the fu-"

My footwork slicked back, and spun my body around in a tight circle which lashed out a kick that split the air. My heel slammed into the hag's stomach, reverberating her rolls into a mass of ripples as she flew across the room. Her limp form slammed through desks and barely missed the onlooking students as it careened into the far wall, shattering the plaster and shaking the building.

Bones cracked, and blood splattered.

Dust rained from the ceiling like a passing shimmer of hail. The room was silent, _dead_ silent.

I could feel the darkness coiling within me. It was strangling, breathtaking, awe-inspiring. My muscles were imbued with it, lathered in a thick oil that pushed them in perfect movements with overwhelming strength. It was suffocating, ensnaring, it overwhelmed every sense in my body. I couldn't fight it, the _void_ was overwhelming. The Skeleton inside me trashed with power far greater than it could retain, and it was loving it.

The darkness in my eyes shimmered towards a darker shade. I was beginning to lose vision. So many things lay before me, I could see backwards and forwards.

A gun clicked in front of my face.

My gaze snapped down to the object, and the darkness vanished. Gone, with only a tendril left to escape my veins. I fought the remainder back into the depths of my mind, locking it behind closed doors.

Empty green eyes stared up at me, waiting for an attack. Sky hadn't struck me as the sort to step in and break up a fight. But as my tunnel vision began to expand, I was glad she did.

They were all watching me. All of them. And they were afraid…

A blob of skin and fluids leaked from the wall…

She was just a smudge, like a painting gone wrong. You couldn't really distinguish many features… Her face was… mangled.

I felt like throwing up.

My skin shimmered with the beginnings of a cold sweat. My muscles twitched, and Sky pressed her barrel into my forehead. The steel was clean and freezing. Making my whole body feel dirty, used, violated. I felt disgusted within my own existence. I wanted to claw my way out.

The door burst open, revealing four startled figures. David, Key, Raven and Isaac… The redhead already had her tomahawks in hand, and the creeper hid a stick of dynamite in his pocket. David looked ready to tear any threat limb from limb.

They hadn't expected Sky to be that threat.

And they hadn't expected to find a corpse.

Key gave a yelp when she saw it, the mash of body parts. She crept backwards, halfway out of the room. The other students were still in a state of shock, immobilized, trying to comprehend it.

David looked at me… He looked at me _warily._ His eyes were worried, but also accusing… He took a step forward, snapping the room's attention to him. With a glance, he continued towards Sky.

She didn't acknowledge him as he stood beside her. Her gaze was fixed on mine.

Carefully, he wrapped his hand around the barrel. It stood still for a moment, as if debating whether it really wanted to leave. All at once, Sky lowered the weapon, holstering it with one smooth movement. Her fingers lingered on the hilt.

David moved towards me. My hand went up on its own accord, stopping him in place. A gap of still air stood between us.

Neither of us said a thing.

An unfamiliar sensation swelled in the corner of my eyes. It hesitated, before suddenly trailing down my face, over my cheekbones, down my cheeks, past my lips, and falling from my chin.

David wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. And I cried into his shoulder.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Raven**

* * *

So, to recap…

Heather died.

Isaac's depressed, but being a little bitch about it.

Amber's just a tad more powerful than we thought.

Class 2D needs a new homeroom teacher.

Sky and Felix pretty much know that some of us aren't human.

And we're about to escape an ongoing manhunt by teleporting into another world.

"Would you just tell us what the _hell_ is going on!?" Felix spoke for the both of them, who for some reason saw me as their best chance at answering questions. Sky leant against the counter.

I rushed back to the pantry, stuffing a heap of cans in my backpack. Beans, beetroot, whatever. Both the blue-head, and the reporter had stalked us back home after we made a run for it. They didn't seem to have any intentions of leaving until they figured it all out.

"Fine. You ready? Because I'm starting to get real sick of telling this story." I jammed a couple bottles of water in the heap.

Felix nodded.

"Heard of Minecraft?"

"T- The game?"

"That's the one." I began to realize how stupid this was going to sound. "It's a real place. And over there, they've been mutating mobs and humans to create hybrids. Key, Isaac, Zoe, and Amber have all been spliced with different monsters."

"Come on. Cut the crap and tell us the truth!"

I saw Zoe begin a jog up the stairs as she rushed to pack a bunch of trinkets she had collected. "Zoe! Come here quick."

Surprised, she wandered back the way she came and looked at me expectantly. "Could you check out the roof?" I continued my preparations.

When I looked back, Zoe was hanging from the ceiling, and Felix was practically losing his mind. Even Sky looked a little surprised.

"S- S- So, then, the car incident, and the people chasing you?"

"Hybrids with monster souls, they're hunting us down for various reasons."

He swallowed. "And where are you all going?"

Pausing, I looked up at him. "Where do you think?"

A mystified, yet awed expression overtook him.

And that was when we heard a knock on the door.

The entire household paused for a breathless minute. Were we too slow? Did the police catch up to us before we could make a run for it? Would the police be knocking at a time like this?

The door pushed open. "Davi'! I'm home!"

… Wait, what?

David's voice came from the top of the staircase. "M- Mom?"

Unable to contain my curiosity any longer, I paced out of the kitchen and peered towards the front door. What stood before me was a woman, perhaps in her thirties, downed in a tight business attire that made her look like a lawyer, a lawyer speckled with snow.

Her black hair bounced as she turned to me. Ocean eyes, just like her son's. "Oh, hello."

"Uhh, hi." I was lost for words.

She smirked. "Girlfriend?"

Before I had a chance to retort, Key appeared on the level above, looking down in interest. This earnt a raised eyebrow. David didn't know what to do. He was halfway between hiding the Endergirl, and coming up with an excuse. Having Zoe step up beside me didn't help.

"Finally got your own harem, did you?" His mother grinned, trying to keep from laughing.

Isaac poked his head from the living room. "What's going on?"

Unable to hold it anymore, the woman let out a burst. "I didn't know you swung that way, Davi'."

"W- What are you doing here?"

"What? I'm not allowed in my own house?" She wandered past the stairs, towards a room that I had never actually been in. "Relax, I can't stay long. Just need to grab a few things." Everybody had come to a standstill as the stranger woman pranced into our home unannounced. "Better question though, why are there so many people in our house?" She called from the master bedroom.

"They're just friends."

"Uhhuh, and when have you ever been this popular? I mean come on, those girls are practically super models!"

"Mom!"

"Sorry."

I suppressed a giggle, but it did nothing to hold back my grin.

Delicate fingers tapped at my shoulder. Looking back, I found Sky standing behind me. She seemed distant, as if concentrating on some faraway object. Her hand crept towards her gun.

The action snapped me to full alert, following her gaze out the living room window. I let my senses expand as I took in the maximum of my surroundings. I had let my guard down.

A lone figure stood on the snow covered grass.

I groaned and reached for my tomahawks, pulling them out by their necks, and flipping them around into my standard grip. "You've got to be fucking kidding me."

I couldn't hear the pop, but nonetheless, he disappeared. Sky stiffened next to me, out of depth. It gave me a chance to feel smug.

Of course some asshole interrupted that chance by teleporting directly in front of me. A massive, void black scythe swept in, splitting the air like a firecracker. It took all of my flexibility to twist backwards and halt the incoming death with a double block, only to be sent flying by the sheer force of the blow.

A moment of misconception engulfed my senses as I slammed uselessly against the wall, making it difficult to voice my observations through my wheezing. "Strong motherfucker aren't ya'?"

"What was that noise?" I heard the new arrival call from the bedroom.

"Uhhh, nothing!" David returned, sprinting along the overhead hallway, sword in hand. In one reckless leap, he sailed over the railing and plunged down at the enemy, ready to pierce through his skull.

Alerted by the boy's lame excuse, the hulking figure lashed out, sending David flying into the lounge room, where he landed quite comfortably against the couch. Lucky bastard.

Sky aimed down her sights, squeezing at the trigger faster than a virgin can blow his load. The first of three shots rippled into the attractive clone's flesh, warranting a pestilent screech as he warped away.

Isaac, who by this point had seen a David sent flying into his room, and heard multiple alerts of attack, poked his head around the corner. The two remaining bullets slammed into the wall just above his head, tearing through the plaster and continuing out the window. Turning pale, the Creeper decided the event wasn't worth his time, and sunk back behind cover.

"David! Your video game is too loud again!"

The son flipped off of his resting place, tracing the teleportation. "Sorry Mom!"

"You know, I'm surprised your girlfriends stick around when all you do is play games all day."

"They're actually _quite_ into games themselves!" He rushed back into the dining room, plunging his sword into thin air. The glowering form reappeared around the blade, beginning an ear throbbing rant that was thankfully cut dead short by an arrow in his throat.

A sad gurgle was all that remained of his attack. As he collapsed into a pile of ash, we all took the remaining split second to hide our weapons behind our backs. All aside from Felix, who it seemed was fixed with a permanent look of shock horror.

Miss Verona paced back into view on her heels, click clacking against the floorboards. She glanced around suspiciously as we smiled at her with pure innocence. Her eyes caught on Amber in distraction, who stood soundly atop the stairs. "Another one?"

"I'm Amber. It's… nice to meet you."

The woman stared her down, assessing some unknown statistic. Soon, a knowing smirk shadowed her lips. "So that's how it is then…"

The boys seemed mildly confused. But of course, every girl present knew _exactly _what she was talking about. This was most certainly, a woman to be feared.

"Well, I'm off." She turned face as quickly as she had come, stepping through the door.

"Mom."

She swivelled, curious. David, who had somehow managed to hide his sword in the short time I wasn't looking, wandered towards her. Unfamiliarly, he wrapped the woman in a hug. Her eyes widened in surprise. She almost seemed, shy about it. But nevertheless, she hugged him back. "Is everything okay?"

He nodded slightly. "Yeah… everything's okay."

I saw her eyes catch on the smouldering pile of ash over David's shoulder. She looked mystified, but didn't question it as her son pulled away.

"Take care on your trip."

She smiled, returning to the moment. "Of course. You take care of your friends."

"I will."

We all watched as she closed the door behind her, and we all watched as she strode down the front steps, and out onto the pathway. She was gone with only a lingering trail of perfume. Subconsciously, I looked at David. He seemed used to it… But I could still see the tinge of sadness on the corners of his mouth. He really did miss having a family.

With a will of its own, my hand moved to comfort him.

It was paused by the growing blare of sirens.

_Police sirens._

"We have to go. _Now!"_ David snapped into commanding mode, sending everyone scurrying back to their preparations.

I stayed for a moment, my thoughts hesitating. "Davi-"

"I'm fine." He gave a half smile. "I'm glad I could see her before leaving."

Uncharacteristically, I smiled back with warmth.

The boy seemed entranced for a moment, leaving me to wonder at how powerful my smile actually is. He soon snapped out of it though, and bounded up the stairs, sweeping past the Skeleton.

The girl in white stared at me from her perch.

I stared back, my mind flickering to the images of her latest victim. Splattered dead against the wall like a Jackson Pollock painting. A tendril of fear played at my heart, pumping it faster. But I didn't move. In her eyes, I could see that she feared me just the same.

David shouted from his room. "Key!"

The Endergirl popped into existence, looking down the hall. "Y- Yes?"

"Can you come here for a second?"

The girl nodded, despite not being able to see him. As if realising the fact, she stopped mid-nod and glanced around sheepishly.

Amber and I stared at her with deadpan expressions.

I wide-eyed fright was all we saw before she teleported away.

Tires screeched outside, and a chorus of gun cocks echoed through the air. Only seconds later did a loudspeaker crackle static. "Amber Verona, we have a warrant for your arrest. Please step outside slowly, with your hands freely in the air. We would prefer to take you in peacefully."

Of course they would. They probably weren't game enough to break in after seeing what she had done. I spun on my heel back to the kitchen, calling over my shoulder. "Get your shit ready."

Sky and Felix watched me expectantly as I jogged in and began zipping up my backpack. "W- W- What about us?"

"Well, you can either stay here, and be arrested for," I pointed at Sky "owning an illegal firearm, and" I pointed at Felix "withholding evidence. Or, you can jump ship with us."

"W- Withholding evidence?"

"You think they're going to believe the story I told you?"

The upperclassman holstered her weapon, and nodded.

"Get upstairs then."

She followed my instructions as I fitted the bag over my shoulders.

"You can't be serious…"

"What's it goin'a be, reporter?"

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

The police were beginning to creep forwards as we all assembled upstairs.

Franticly, I spammed in my last email to Notch, who was telling me on repeat that he needed more time.

"S- So, how do we actually get _into,_ Minecraft?" Felix asked, standing uselessly as everyone checked their weapons and adjusted their gear.

"Key's an Ender hybrid. She's teleporting us in."

"Oh…" He didn't know much about the game, it would seem.

I whirled around, having hit enter on my message. My mail system gave a satisfying _whoosh,_ which seemed to substitute my pent up exhale. "Ready?" My eyes scanned the group. Amber had her bow and quiver, donned in the same clothes we had found her in; a white blouse, denim short shorts, and a well-used leather chest plate. Isaac was similarly original, hefting his studded mace and black hoodie, dynamite hidden somewhere within. He had his aviators on. Raven was stuck in school uniform, axes holstered beneath her skirt by some unknown witchcraft, along with a heavy backpack upon her shoulders. Zoe had collected a bag full of trinkets, which were presumably to add to her collection back home. I recalled the wide array of gizmos that decorated her cave. Key was still as cute as ever. She had her hair out for once, with a black beanie holding it down. It spilled out in long magenta curtains. The Ender Dragon egg was clasp tightly to her chest. Sky and Felix were also embezzled with the school attire, although it would seem the gunslinger had forgotten her blazer, or just didn't have one. She was low on ammo, down three in her clip, but still in fighting order for the moment.

It bothered me that we had dragged them into this. Just the wrong place at the wrong time, and now they were stuck with us. Neither of them were prepared.

Out the window, I saw an armed force front up to the door. "Okay…" Turning back to my computer, I booted up the Minecraft launcher, hitting _Play Now_ before it had a chance to load the news. My heart dropped into my gut as a loading bar appeared.

_Installing Updates…_

The front door exploded inwards, knocked down by a collection of men.

_2%_

"Uhhh, D- David?" Felix prompted, jittering.

I glanced down at my sword, which was resting against the desk.

"David?"

Footsteps thundered up the stairs.

_10%_

My eyes bounded around the room, looking for something, _anything,_ that wasn't as deadly. My focus feel upon a heavy black case, which had been discarded in a pile of my belongings. Snatching for it, I held it by the handle on its side. It felt lighter than it used to. I paused before staring evenly at each combatant. "Don't kill them."

They nodded.

_21%_

The door slammed inwards and a flurry of shouts erupted.

It got messy pretty quickly. With five policemen trying to fit through one door, and five of us taking wild swings at them. It wasn't long before guns were drawn, but none of them had a chance to fire them. As one was raised to my face, I took a bat at it, flinging it across the room where it impaled itself in the wall. A heavy uppercut with the black case created a riveting crack, knocking the man out cold.

_48%_

Isaac was kicked backwards, leaving time for a gun to be raised. Raven, finding a spare moment in her melee, snapped outwards, slicing the weapon in two with one of her razor sharp hatchets.

The Creeper snapped back to his feet, re-joining the fight with reinspired vigour. It would seem the closer he got to home, the more enthusiastic he became. I could've sworn I saw the glint of a grin as he backhanded an incoming fist, raising a knee to his assailant's stomach.

_79%_

Finally, one of the officers got their finger around a trigger. Two shots fired, one from him, and one from Sky. The weapon went flying as a bullet collided with it, but not before another one whizzed past my head, giving me a dodgy haircut.

The sound of gunshots sent the hordes of police outside scurrying for the building.

_99%_

I pummelled down the last enforcer as the loading bar dawdled over the last percentage.

_100%_

Practically pouncing at the keyboard, _Singleplayer The Best World Ever Seeded._

Don't judge me.

We were soon greeted with a blocky view of the sky, blue and gradient, clouds rolling past above. Which meant that my player, or _robot thing,_ was still lying dormant in the grasslands.

"Alright! Isaac, you're first."

With an almost creepy Cheshire beam, the Creeper stepped towards the screen. I looked at Key expectantly, snapping her out of a daydream. Shyly, but forcefully, the Endergirl nudged the boy forwards, echoing a pleasant pop as he disappeared through the screen.

I didn't have time to appreciate the looks on the two newbie's faces, as I waited on edge for Isaac to appear in our view. He did, with a proud wave.

Raven stepped up next, unsure, but not willing to hesitate. Pop. We saw Isaac get tackled by a flying redhead.

Zoe fronted forwards with an unusual smile and her bag of trinkets. Pop.

Glancing over my shoulder for the next passenger, I saw Sky scavenging through the police equipment. She hefted one of the firearms easily, examining its make and model. The engraved label shone in the afternoon light.

_Glock 21_

Something seemed to satisfy her, as she began removing clips and searching for spare ammo.

"Felix." I glanced around for the boy, but found no sign of him. At odds, I examined the space once more, until a found a slumped figure resting on the carpet. "Felix come on, we've got to…"

His blazer was spotted with a bright red hue.

Amber ran over to him, sheathing her swords. "Felix? What happened?"

My brain asked the very same question, arriving at only one answer. The stray bullet… It had clipped me, but it had hit him. "We can't wait any longer. We'll deal with it on the other side."

The girl in white seemed a little insulted by my harshness. She didn't argue though, and pulled the boy up, dragging him into position. Key pushed the pair into the next dimension, but not before the Skeleton's eyes caught mine.

They said nothing.

New footsteps began a thunder up the stairs.

"Sky!"

The gunslinger jumped to her feet, arms loaded with ammunition. Grabbing for my sword, the remaining three of us vamped up to the monitor.

An email slid into the corner of the screen.

_Markus Pearson:_

_I'll meet you in __Veradale__._

_Good luck._

Just as the first copper round the corner, and I realised that I still held firm to the bulky black case, our vision was replace with a blinding white light, and our ears rang with a deafening pop.

And just like that,

we were gone.

* * *

**Author Note:**

BAM! Heh, soap references.

I was thinking of writing a guide. A great deal of questions I get, both offline and on, relate to success via fanfiction. "How can I write something that people will enjoy?" or "How do I get a big following?" There's a lot of thought in the process, and many small things that make differences. I learnt a lot of what I know through experimentation, workshops, and well... writing. I don't want to sound too up myself though (if it isn't too late already) I mean, a _heap_ of you are _reeeally _talented writers, and probably already know most of the shit I would say. But I dunno, what do you think? A quick couple chapters on making your story super OP? Or should the secrets be protected? I feel like some non-fiction might help me get that _flow_ back.

Oh and thanks to like, _no one,_ for using "Let the donuts roll." You bastards. :j  
(Except for Spino, who said _nothing but_ "let the donuts roll.")  
(And UncleInTheAttic, who I ended up replying to anyway...)

**Funniest Review:** Prometheus

**"A driver travelling at 15m/s East sees Miley Cyrus standing in the middle of the road grabbing her crotch, He immediately accelerates at 3m/s2 in attempt to run her over. If he keeps this acceleration for 18 seconds, how fast will he be going when he plows her over?"**

Presuming that Miley is 18 seconds worth of distance from the driver, and he halts acceleration upon impact... If my calculations are correct, that should bring us to exactly... 69m/s... Judging you so hard right now.

Reviews!

DualDragonJ: I apologize. I'm very slow these days.  
welcometodalolz: Wellp, I'm glad you're along for the ride anyway, even if you are a little late. Thanks for the support. :D  
Guest (Feb 18): Balderdash! My mad haxing skills are more than just positives and negatives! Heh, computing puns.  
Fleelfmuister: A fucking band!? Are you serious!? Oh damn, now I'm hyped. Post your music on YouTube so we can see it! And good god, relationship/sister problems? Well... in my opinion, I think you should decide how you really feel about her. And then, wait to see what she does. If sh really does like you, she'll dump the grade eleven, and be more obvious about it. Play it safe, because you are best friends. I made the mistake of trying something prematurely with my childhood friend, and it was _sooooo_ awkward for the next few years, still is a little. Don't rush it. Good luck my friend.  
EnderCreepers: The most popular one of course! By Rhapzody A personal favorite of mine. :)  
Striker1298: Hahaha - 01010111011001010110110001101100001011000010000001001001001000000110010001100101011000110110111101100100011001010110010000100000011101000110100001100001011101000010000001100001001000000110001001101001011101000010000001101100011000010111010001100101001011100010000001010011011011110111001001110010011110010010110000100000011000010110001001110011011011110110110001110101011101000110010101101100011110010010000001100010011011000110100101110100011110100110010101100100001000000111100101101111011101010111001000100000011001000110010101100001011001000110110001101001011011100110010100101110001000000100001001110101011101000010000001100010011110010010000001100001011011000110110000100000011011010110010101100001011011100111001100101100001000000110011101101111001000000110000101101000011001010110000101100100001000000110000101101110011001000010000001110010011001010111011001100101011000010110110000100000011010010111010000101110001000000101100101101111011101010010011101110010011001010010000001110001011101010110100101110100011001010010000001110111011001010110110001100011011011110110110101100101001000000111010001101111001000000111010001110010011110010010111000100000001110100110101000100000001011010010000001001001011101000010000001101101011010010110011101101000011101000010000001100010011001010010000001100110011101010110111000100000011101000110111100100000011000100110010100100000011000110110111101101110011001100110100101110010011011010110010101100100001000000110000101110011001000000110000100100000011001110111010101111001001011100010111000101110001000000100100001101101011011010110110100101110 - For fucks sake, I forgot how big those things turned out.  
Darkfire2000: Awww, that's actually really cute. Yeah, of course it's enough to play MC! But uhh... see the note below. :( - Oh, you made two reviews. Hahaha, come, come now, don't go ruining the relationship twists! :P  
StubTailDstroyer: It's sad isn't it? The end of a story is always sad. But alas, just like _One Piece,_ if there are too many episodes, nobody bothers to watch them all. UPDATE MORE OFTEN YOUR STORY IS GOOD. Not that I can talk, huh? :J  
A happy reader: Always good to hear from you, so thanks for making the effort to type out the review again. :) I'm glad your views on certain characters are changing slightly, that means I'm doing my job right. Stick around. - Ah, by the way... I may have told you before, but when you post as a guest, the review doesn't come through straight away, it sits in my inbox for three or so days before posting. So I get them, they just wait a while to get posted. :) Sorry for the inconvenience.  
Elsi5445: Fuck off Emily, we haven't been to the gym for weeks.  
A Man In A Mask: Dude. You need to chiiiiilllll~ I'ma hit these in dot points and skip a few. Hope you can understand the dilemma. 1) Depression: Yeah, sometimes fanfiction can be creepily relatable. 2) NOTCH: "Hell, it's about time." 3) A lab you say? ... Send me some details on that. ;) 4) RIGHT, THAT'S IT **STUNNINGTON **AND **A MAN IN A MASK** \- IF YOU KEEP UP WITH THIS LONG REVIEW SHIT, I AM GOING TO ANSWER THE ENTIRE THINGS WITH SINGLE SENTENCES. ... Not that I don't love reading them. :J 5) Media: Sadly, I had to change my film topic due to setting limitations. Super pissed about that, because the wasteland is awesome. Thanks for all the extra detail. It would make an awesome story, you should look into that. 6) Endergirl Spin Off: Hahaha, that's perfect, you're totally down to play some MC. But... read the note below... :( 6) Right, sorry, but I've gotta move onto the others. Also, you won the longest review this chapter. :J Thanks for the support.  
TheHerobrine: Soooorry, hope you can remember it this time. ':3 Ah, in case you forgot what you reviewed last chapter: You said you forgot what the story was so you had to read it all again, and you forgot what you reviewed, so you had to go find it, and so on. Hahaha, well, at least you're the entertaining kid. :P  
Alton House: Hello! *Waves frantically in hopes Alton will see it through his mask*  
ShineArchetype: Hahahahahahahahahahahaha, I fucking loved that story. I re-read it just now, and I'm smiling like an idiot because it made me laugh too much. I loved it. Thank you. :) You're so down to play Minecraft, but, read the note below. :( Also, Jess and Nic say "Hi." Stay rad Shine. :P  
Gnatman: ... Hia.  
MattyJones: Yeah, loss doesn't always work that way... Of course now we need to figure out a good way to resolve it, or Isaac's gonna be super down for ages... Hmmmmmmmm... Key and David you think? Well, I'll try and give them some time together, and see how things go. "Randy Orton in a place we've never seen him before... WATCH OUT, WATCH OUT, WATCH OUT! -" :'D  
derpysauce: Awww, Derpy, don't be like that! (Heads up though, more people are gonna die, so brace yourself.) Yeah, I kind of keep going back to the main characters, with only minor appearances from the others at various points. Hell, sometimes I forget they're even there. But they'll play a role later... probably. I'M NOT PURPLE! But yeah, sorry about how long it's taking to get these chapters out. Promised I'd finish the story though, so I will, no matter how long it takes. Yeah, well, screw your DOTA habits. XP Take care. :)  
Legomaster17683: That was so descriptive, I love your creative use of language and massive character development. Truly a work of art. :j Read the note below about MC.  
WiseguyJaco: **JACO IS THREATENING TO BURN ME ALIVE AGAIN GUYS. **Heeeeeeeeeeeeelp... :'''I ... Big fire. Go mess with UncleInTheAttic instead!  
UncleInTheAttic: I enjoy talking to you too brother, so thanks for the choice. Hope you don't mind if I just make this one quick? Hahaha, you'll never know my gender! No matter how many times the question appears in your reviews. Also, there's no stopping Jaco. My life is already forfeit. "Too much Minecraft?" Nonsense! ... You may have a point about the rolling donuts though. Hope you've got your computer back by this point. :)  
TheFluffyPuffle: I always love your little reviews. Thanks again Fluffy. Hope you're doing okay. :)  
Stunnington: I hope you saw the message up in A Man In A Mask's review. HAPPY BIRTHDAY XOXOXO. What'd you get? Uhh, well, fuck it, I'm seventeen. And no, no scholarship at the moment. And holy shit thank you for not PMing me. Much love, many heart. And after that amazing intro, although I fear it may have been cut off slightly towards the end, I still maintain that you should WRITE YOUR OWN STORY. I mean that was _really_ good. DO IT. See the note about MC below. :( 'Til next time, stay Sylent! Wait, no... damn. Later. ':D  
Chase1998: And since then, I haven't worked on it since. ':D Forgive me. Thanks for all the praise, and the prays. Ba-dum-tss. Hopefully everything will stay exciting from here on out. See you next time Chase. :) P.S. Don't murder me.  
Waddleloo: **HOLDS THE RECORD FOR MOST CHAPTERS READ IN A DAY.** Hahaha, glad you got so into it, and I'm sorry about the wait. But, here's the next chapter, and welcome to the Donut Brigade. :)  
The D0ctor: Wow... That was some seriously powerful stuff. Makes me want to go a read your stories... Thanks for sharing. :)  
commanderimf: Well, put simply, to everyone who asked, Heather was "just a friend." So, figured he'd get upset about that after he realized she liked him and then went and died. Maybe I didn't make it clear enough though... Hmmmmmmmmm, damn. Oh well. Borderlands story is slowly coming along. Having a fair amount of fun with it. Nudity, rape and guns, oh my! Ahem, thanks for the support as always. :)  
backlasheaton: Dude, you might need to sort that head of yours out. All you need to start is a hint of an idea. If you like RWBY, then look at what other people have done, and try to find something different you can do. A different take on a character, or a split in the story. Go back and watch the first season, find something that you can mess with. Maybe one of those grey silhouettes in the background is actually your character? As for 'said' synonyms: wwwDOTthesaurusDOTcomSLASHbrowseSlASHsay I use that site all the time. You might be interested in the guide I write, if I end up actually doing it. Take care. :)  
Mineking57: Hahahahaha, that made me laugh. Well, I ended up wearing a suit, with a pink shirt. Take from that what you will. :P I agree, they totally need to kiss. God damn, why are they procrastinating it so much? Yeah, sorry about the OC, TheHerobrine's just fit a little better. But, I will get around to watching season three of RWBY, it's been a while. Hahaha, also, Jess and I might have plans to move in with some friends after graduation, so the #SyJess only increases from there. ':D Later.  
PBJFanFiction: Yeah, totally went off on a tangent, but it's back now, thank god. WHY DO YOU GET ALL THE COOL STUFF? A FUCKING SEGWAY, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww... that's really cute. I like her already. Anything else I should know about this mysterious person? Comments while listening to _In the Hall of the Mountain King:_ "Oh that drop." "Shit." "Building..." "Solid." "Whoop, whoop, whoop." *Head nodding* That was awesome. Reminds me of Portal 2 for some reason... As for Roundtable Rival, well, I'm already a massive Lindsey Stirling fan. Listen to it all the time. Love the music video too. :D See MC note below. Unturned? Can't say I do, but looking at it, it looks pretty awesome. Maybe I'll get into it. As always, thanks for everything. Later! :D

AND WE'RE DONE. I'm going to have to do something about these review responses... There's too many.

**Minecraft Note:** For all of you who submitted Endergirl spin offs. I fucking loved them. All of them, minus LegoMaster's, were pretty awesome. :P But, I have some sad news... I'm broke at the moment, so my server hosting is on hold ':D I'll be sure to get back to you guys when I'm rich enough to do so. Probably after the upcoming Supernova, which is in April. :) Sorry for the hold up, but we'll get to it eventually.

As for everything else...

A YEAR HAS PASSED SINCE THE FIRST CHAPTER WAS POSTED, AND WE ARE NUMBER FOUR IN THE MINECRAFT CATEGORY! Honestly, you guys are the real MVPs. Let's see how much further we can go!

Take care guys, and don't forget to admire the trees.

Ciao.

\- Sylent


	34. Jealousy, lesbians and bacon, oh my!

**Author Note:**

ENDERGIRL QUIZ #1: HOW MUCH OF A FAN ARE _YOU!?_

1) When David first saw Key, which _single_ word did he summarize her with?  
2) What is Raven's online username?  
3) Who did Isaac first introduce himself as?  
4) What detail did David and Isaac forget when building their house in Minecraft?  
5) When David first examined Amber, which _single_ word did he use to describe her?  
6) What is engraved on Raven's hatchets?  
7) Which song was Koridas whistling when he first appeared?  
8) "That was sly, Amber." Which moment does this quote come from?  
9) What is Isaac's main goal in life?  
10) What class was Zoe in at school?

Answer all of these questions in a review, and we'll see who gets them right! REREADING IS CHEATING. Muha, muhahahahaha. Answers will be in chapter 35.

* * *

**Jealousy, lesbians and bacon, oh my!**

I groaned loudly as I hit the ground, and the two girls landed on top of me.

That sounded a lot sexier than it actually was. I mean yeah, okay, Key is cute and all. But she's really fucking heavy. Startled, the Endergirl leapt off. Sky took her time, unbothered by my suffering, and still a little dazed from her first teleport.

"Where the fuck are we?" Raven.

Dusting myself off, I gave the rundown of our surroundings, pointing in each direction as I named them. "Mountains, death drop, forest, house." I staggered towards the distant shelter, still a little winded. "Let's go."

Everything was pretty much how we'd left it.

The chilling breeze cast a harsh contrast to the heated rooms back home. Crisp blue skies dotted with fluffy clouds. Knee high grass sheltered sheep and other animals which scattered when we neared. It was eerie as ever, but also tranquil, and almost relaxing.

"Someone give me a hand." Amber announced.

The entire group looked back to find a wounded Felix draped around her shoulder, slowly growing more and more limp with his loss of blood.

I mentally kicked myself for forgetting something so important, and moved to support him. Isaac beat me to it, taking the majority of the boy's weight.

"What happened?" The Creeper inquired, freeing Amber of her burden.

"Bullet wound to his chest." I explained, hurrying them onwards "Somebody is going to have to heal him."

A moment of hesitation arose. For a second, I was afraid I might have to ask Isaac to sleep with the reporter.

"I'll do it."

I paused to look at the volunteer, thoughts vanishing from my mind. "You…?"

Her silver irises remained vacant. "Is that a problem?"

"N- No…"

"It's not like there's anything stopping me."

Her words were piercing. "I guess not."

"Alright then." She hurried after the group, leaving me motionless amongst the tall grass.

You know that feeling, where you're halfway between sick and annoyed? Where all the air rises to the top of your chest and every time you swallow it feels thick and inadequate? It makes you tick with a type of pissed off anxiety, and really, you kind of just want to walk away from whatever the fuck you were doing?

Yeah. That.

I began a slow walk towards the shelter.

It was a little surprising that it still stood upright. I mean, Isaac and I had put a fair amount of effort into it, but not that much effort. To be honest, I had half expected it to be in ruins by the time we made it back here. I joined the line to file up the ladder, which no matter how you looked at it, retained the shiftiness of Swiper from Dora the Explorer. It was bound to snap at any moment.

Despite my pessimism, the ropes seemed to hold. I glanced up to ensure I wouldn't run into anyone. My gait paused as I was reminded quite blatantly that Sky was still wearing a skirt. I felt my face flush intensely as she ascended the remaining rungs.

Today just wasn't my day.

By the time I heaved myself up, Isaac had deposited Felix and Amber inside, leaving the others to follow in hopes of lending a hand. I rolled from the ladder to the ground, staring up at the Creeper from the corner of my eye.

It was obvious enough what he was thinking. What, with that smug grin? He stared out at the expanses of land with a childlike glee. He was happy to be home, in a place he understood. In a place he could live by his own rules. The problems of Earth were miles away. They couldn't follow him here…

"Isaac?"

"Hmm?"

"What's Veradale?"

He smirked. "Where did you hear that name?"

"It's where we're headed."

The Creeper looked down at me. "Is that so?"

It was then that I was struck with a very vital realisation. There was nothing keeping the mobs with us anymore. Isaac, Zoe, Amber… Key wanted to protect the egg, but the others? They had just been dragged along with us. Now that they were back… they might not want to stay in the midst of danger. "Will you come?"

A soft kick in the ribs snapped me out of it. "Don't be an idiot." Sighing, he sat down next to me, hanging his legs over the cliff. His heels tapped against the stone with small thumps. "Veradale is a city. A villager city. Full of industry, and not a great deal else." He laughed. "That's where Amber tried to kill me."

I recalled his original hate of the Skeleton. She had been hunting him. "How far is it?"

Nodding towards the distant ravine, he began an explanation. "Those cliffs are the main problem. Without them, we could be there in a day. But we'll have to take the long way 'round. And since you humans need to sleep, it could be a week at most."

"A week? Wait… hybrids don't need to sleep?"

"Not sure about the Skeleton, but the rest of us only need to once every few days. It's more of a hobby."

"What else don't I know about you guys?"

"A _lot._"

Before I could question any further, a small voice spoke from behind. "There's a quicker way."

I sat up to find Zoe leaning against the wall. Her scarf was around her mouth again. "How?"

"We can go through the caves."

The idea sent shivers across my skin. I had already ventured into that darkness once… I wasn't anxious to repeat the adventure. "I don-"

"There's a mineshaft that cuts straight there. The ravine wouldn't be a problem."

A day versus a week… A day in the darkness, mobs lurking around every corner, or a week in the open, with hybrids hot on our trail. My pause lent the idea some deliberation. "You know the way?"

"Mmhm."

"Is it dangerous?"

"Not if we stay quiet."

Stealth, huh? Maybe we could find a few cardboard boxes laying around somewhere… "Caves it is." Satisfied, I gazed up at the sky. "We'll rest here tonight though."

"Question." Zoe continued her talking streak, prompting Isaac and I to look towards her. She examined the structure she leant against with a hint of peculiarity. "Why does the door look so sketchy?"

Poker faces.

* * *

I tried, I really did. I knew it wouldn't make me feel any better. But I did it anyway, pushed by some conflicting interest.

Night had set, rolling the high sun back behind the mountains. Mobs, silent and wandering, littered the lands below. They seemed somewhat out of it, a little dreamy, not really paying much attention. I knew how quickly that could change.

Still deciding whether to go through with it or not, I took a tentative step forwards. The soft ground comforted my footsteps. The door had been left slightly ajar, and it wasn't long before I hovered before its frame.

It would be a miracle if I could get away with just a glance. I was surrounded by trained killers, sleep did not impede them. Still… I couldn't help myself.

My eyes had adjusted to the dark, but another shade lay within the hut. I struggled to make out anything as I peered between the gap. Admittedly, this was pretty creepy of me. But…

The darkness finally receded, not much, but enough for me to see. Zoe and Key lay curled up near the door. Briefly, I wondered at how close they really were, but I soon moved on. Raven slept upright, Tomahawk in hand, resting against the adjacent wall. She seemed exhausted for some reason.

And in the far corner, pressed close together, a girl with shining white hair shifted. Her arm fell around the wounded boy, rolling a little nearer, a little further, a little comfier. In her sleep, she always looked beautiful, no matter who she slept next to.

The realisation yanked a cord in my chest.

Sharp features, but soft skin. A pale, yet flawless complexion. Eyelashes, long and inky black. Lips, a smooth balance between thin and full. Silver strands of hair that frame her face… And of course, the scar. It shone in the small gleam of outside moonlight.

As if noticing my inspection, she rested further into the boy by her side, hiding her face behind him.

I felt betrayed. Yeah, it was stupid. But I did…

Jealousy.

Keeping my emotions internal, I retreated back outside, closing the door behind me. And all the pent up steam fled, through a quiet sigh.

If I was jealous… that meant I _liked_ her. Didn't it?

Did it?

I looked back at the day. She must be feeling something. After what she did to her teacher. Yeah, she was a bitch, but no one deserves to die for it… Amber knew that. She didn't seem to regret it though. Of course she doesn't _seem_ to do many things. But when I looked into her eyes, I knew that wasn't true. She was smart, and compassionate, she sympathised and empathised, she had regrets… even if she never showed them.

I wanted to support her.

… I think.

The image of her sleeping next to Felix stabbed me again, twisting my gut. What a dick move. Maybe we weren't dating, but we had something, right? With the time we spent together, and the moments we shared… Of course we did… right?

Maybe it was just my imagination…

A small tapping parted my thoughts. I was kind of beginning to understand how the mobs felt tonight… unmotivated. With the little curiosity I had left, my ears traced the noise, eventually leading me upwards.

Long turquoise hair hung down at me as Sky stared from the roof. Her finger halted on the wood, having caught my attention. She gave a repressed smile, tilting her head in question.

I guessed her query. "I'm alright."

With a nod, she was satisfied. Her fingers returned to the ammunition arranged on the roof's edge. She was counting it, checking for faults. Oddly, she hadn't brought the officer's guns with her, only their clips. They must carry the same ammo.

"Are you okay?"

The gunslinger gave me a sidewards look, her fingers still moving. Setting the current bullet down, she paused, and gazed out at the horizon, taking a moment to relax. Her breathing slowed as she savoured the fresh air. It was weird, hearing her breath, the only sound she ever made. After a moment of appreciation, she turned back to me, and nodded.

Of course. You've never complained.

Somehow, she set me straight. She didn't even say anything, but she had told me exactly what I needed to hear.

'The air is fresh, you should enjoy it.'

I was being an idiot.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Key**

* * *

Zoe had become a lot more clingy since we got back.

D- Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining… Oh, that sounds weird as well. My mind was a mess when anyone was this close, even if it was her.

We had found a soft spot of grass within the hut, and lay down side by side. But not long ago, the Spider had rolled closer. Subtlety wasn't her strong suit. She just kind of… _spun,_ into my arms, and pulled my hoodie sleeves around her.

I was surprised at first, but didn't pull away. I wasn't too sure why. Now that I thought about it though, she had been creeping closer and closer back on Earth. Each night, the bed became a little more cramped. And then there were those few times we had collapsed on the couch together. A small smile rose to my lips. Sometimes, she could be more of a kid than me.

My arms gave her a slight squeeze on their own accord. My face lit up, hoping I hadn't woken her.

She shifted slightly, turning to face me. Although, the height difference was laughable. Enderman and Spider, the biggest difference you could get. Silver Fish and Bats didn't have hybrids, they were just animals.

My thoughts became jumbled as Zoe's arms wrapped around my waist. She snuggled in against me, scooting down just a little so her head didn't rest on my collarbone. Of course, now she rested on my _chest, _which only made my cheeks brighter. After a split second of silence, she squirmed awkwardly, trying to get comfortable.

I bit my lip.

Stop moving. Stop. Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop. I clenched my teeth, trying my hardest to keep quiet.

The Spider fell still, having found the optimal position. A heavy breath escaped me, and I clamped my mouth shut, anxious that I had woken someone.

From the corner of my eye, Zoe's ears pricked towards the noise. And after a moment of what must've been realisation, she shifted her head again. _Deliberately._ Without a second of delay, a shiver jumped down my spine, arching my back in recoil. My fingers found her cheek and pinched it _hard._

I felt her lips curl into a smile, and after a few minutes, she fell asleep like that.

Of course, I couldn't sleep _at all._ My face was too red, and… y- yeah.

I stared at the roof for the better part of an hour, until a patch of moonlight hit my face.

The door had flexed open slightly. At first, I was fearful of mobs, but I soon saw a familiar figure standing in the dark. For some reason, I snapped my eyes shut.

W- Why? It didn't matter if I was awake, did it? Would he care? The warmth reminded me of my position. Zoe… Oh… I get it.

After a moment, I peeked from one eye, and caught him. His hair was as dark as the night, barely visible. But his ocean eyes seemed to shine in it… They stared across the room to… Amber…

His face dropped, and I knew why. I didn't want to believe it, but I knew.

Felix and her, well…

He slunk off, closing the door behind him. I felt a little sorry, but a little annoyed at the same time. My gaze followed where his had been, across the room to the girl in white. What was the difference? Between her and me. Were we really that far apart?

The skeleton pulled her partner closer, practically wrapping herself around him. For the first time in an age, I felt anger seep through my blood. Didn't she know how David felt? Didn't she know what she meant to him? Everyone else sure did.

The girl smiled in her sleep. A relaxed little thing, something that would accompany a mumble… "David." She nuzzled closer.

My lips parted in shock.

_Ohhh…_

* * *

**Perspective Change: Isaac**

* * *

"Bacon, bacon, bacon, bacon." I hummed, creating a joyful tune from a joyful word.

"If that's your new theme song, it sucks." Raven wandered from the hut, dead to the world, but still able to hurl an insult.

The sun barely hugged the forest, but as long as mobs were a'sizzlin', it counted as morning to me. And morning meant breakfast. Breakfast meant bacon. "No bacon for Raven."

The girl slumped down before the fire, barely holding herself up. "Just give me _coffeeeeeeeee._"

"Get it yourself."

The midget looked at me, slumped, eyes wide. And then she pouted. Her cheeks went all big, her eyes went all glassy, her natural disapproval turned into a deep frown. It was ridiculously cute.

"Oh god, make it stop. You're ugly enough as it is."

Her expression jolted back to snark. "What'd you say!?"

"Why are you so fucking loud?" I hushed "You'll wake the others." Selectively, I went about sorting through our supplies. The instant coffee was in a small little packages with text that said 'Just add boiling water!' It sounded too easy. But nonetheless, I took the only metal container we had, a mug, and filled it with bottled water. A small rig of stones sat it above the flames.

The calming crackle of bacon replaced our words.

Gleams of golden light streamed over the treetops now, catching my eye. Blinded for a moment, I searched through my inner hoodie pockets for my sunglasses. Dynamite, dynamite, dynamite… my fingers hesitated on a familiar object. I tore myself from the sentiment quickly, continuing the search. Dynamite, dynamite, ah, there we go. The shades slipped from their compartment and onto my features in one slick motion.

Raven rolled her eyes. "You look like an idiot."

"Do not."

"Do to."

"Do you ever say anything constructive?"

She paused, initiating a stare down. "Your bacons burning."

Leaping back to the meal, I attempted to salvage what hadn't already been turned to a crisp. The redhead spared time for an amused grin, watching me rush around for some kind of plate. I managed to track down a cutting board someone had jammed into their baggage, probably Zoe.

The water was beginning to bubble.

Carefully tearing open a coffee packet, I poured the powder into its mug. A quick stir turned the liquid brown, giving off a rich aroma.

"You're happier here."

The statement threw me slightly. I passed the drink over, but stayed quiet.

She took a sip before continuing, pressing her lips together at the heat. "Even though it's so dangerous, you're happier."

A small smile rose to my mouth. "There are some good things. Beautiful things. No day is ever the same." I paused to star at the sunrise. "There are no walls. You can go wherever you want."

"It sounds lonely."

"Maybe… but that's the price of freedom."

I smiled, remembering my travels. All the things I had seen, all the people I had met. The valleys, the oceans, the deserts, the forests, the wastelands, the cities… and the friends… I had walked everywhere, and yet nowhere. What I had found was such a small part, and I would never be satisfied. It was a pleasure to be born in a world so large.

I took a bite of bacon. "It's going to be a fun few days."

* * *

**Perspective Change: Leo**

* * *

_"__Chhi~_" My annoyance spat.

I peered at the screen, glaring at the blocky sky. Back to Minecraft.

Something groaned behind me, awakening from forced slumber. One of this world's law enforcement… A great deal of good they were. Slowly, I let my string spool from one finger, detaching the diamond nail above. The skin split, and dripped crimson for a second, soon clotting before it smoothed over.

The floorboards creaked as the officer stood, holding a hand to his head. "Wha-"

With a flick of the wrist, my thread flew backwards, whipping its diamond spearhead after it. A whistle of air and a vicious squelch sent the body back to sleep, a slit carved through its brain.

It joined the dozens that I had left downstairs.

"So," A voice like ice trailed in behind me, following the inwards reel of my string. I recognised it instantly. "this is where you crawled in to."

A flash of blonde hair crept into my vision. She stood beside me, bending over to peer at the monitor. Her sheer presence made my skin prickle. I'd been caught.

"You killed a human."

"_Yes._"

She gestured to the monitor. "You plan to kill them too?"

"Only a _few._ I _want to see_ my _sister._"

"You might get hurt."

I glanced at her, acknowledging the joke. But her pale face showed no signs of humour. "_They're weak._"

A smirk rose to the devils lips. "Is that so?" After a moment of thought, she took a step back. "Go on then."

Sceptical, and marginally fearful, I tried to confirm her motives. "You're not going to _stop me?"_

"No. Go ahead." She smiled. An emotion full of _teeth,_ and worrying willingness.

I didn't like this… Something was off. But I couldn't see another way out…

Reluctantly, I pulled an Ender pearl from my hoodie. Its surface was dark and smooth, endless. Looking over my shoulder, the witch glared at me with a frightful joy, a sparkle in her eyes. A subconscious twitch was the only response I gave, before pressing the orb against the digital realm.

It shattered in my hands, casting to white. Pure white.

Like her teeth…

* * *

**Author Note:**

Nothing to say here, except my tea is getting cold, and the next chapter of A Fool's Conviction is almost finished.

OH, AND SUPERNOVA WAS KICK ASS. I GOT A RWBY POSTER (Which is now framed and on my wall) AND ANOTHER SINON FIGURE AND A HEAP OF WALL TAPESTRIES FROM KILL LA KILL AND SAO AND STUFF. Good times, good times. Maybe I'll cosplay next year... I could go as Sinon... no, I'm too tall. :'(

**Funniest Review (Paraphrased because it was fucking long): **derpysauce

**"HOLY BATMANS BATMAN**  
**At first I was confused by the random AAACHCHCHCBCH by Amber but I used my level 69 reading skill to read and understand it was a way to advance the plot!**  
**I want to read your BL story but I'm scared of the cringe... even though I already frequent not only fanfic in general but a ffffffing mc fanfic (no offense it's just I could never tell anyone irl that I use this website)"**

Hahaha, I don't know why, but "Batman's Batman" made me lose my shit laughing. And hey, I know what you're talking about with frequenting MC fanfiction. Don't get me wrong, I love being here, it's great to see everyone, but when my friends start talking about Endergirl in public...

Friend: "Hey Sa***, how high is Endergirl in the Minecraft favorites ranking now?"  
Me: *Clamps hand over friend's mouth, looks around shiftily to see if anyone's listening, realizes everyone within one hundred meters knows I write MC fanfiction* "You need to shut the fuck up."

Love fanfiction, but when people ask what I write about... Me: *Shivers nervously* "S- Stuff..." Just have trouble coming out of the closet, so to speak. Don't worry 'bout it man, I'm sure a lot of us feel the same way. Glad you're enjoying Endergirl though, regardless. :)

Now... QUE_ THE UNDERTALE REMIXES!_

Reviews!

Guest (April 15th): DONUT BRIGADE, LISTEN TO THIS MAN/WOMAN. I HOPE THIS UPDATE WAS QUICK ENOUGH FOR YOU. STAY TUNED.  
UncleInTheAttic: Don't worry, don't worry, you're keeping up just fine! Power cord get! Good god man, what has your English teacher done to even make you consider _that?_ Ehhhhhh heheheh, Jaco can be fun sometimes! I just thought you would _enjoy_ his company. ':D FEEL THE TREES.  
ANIMEFORDAYSXD: Gotta love that username! **RECORD FOR MOST CHAPTERS READ IN A DAY****.** Well done. Sorry 'bout Heather, her death was needed for... plot, reasons. ':D DON'T EVEN REMIND ME ABOUT CLANNAD. *Sobs pitifully into Tomoya body pillow* And hey, at least the romance keeps you interested, huh? What'd you think of Key and Zoe's thing in this chapter? Thanks for the support, and welcome to the Donut Brigade!  
Fleelfmuister: I went back and reread chapter one of Mîñçräft, to see the changes you had made. Once again, I enjoyed it. Sadly, I promised not to spend a whole heap of time on each review, so I'm going to have to wait to read the remaining chapters. Looking forward to it though. :) NONSENSE, APPROACH THE MEME SQUAD AT FULL FORCE. How's it going? Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude, if you lived in my country, I might've been able to hook you up with a drum kit. Too bad. Good luck with it thought. Catch you later Fleelf!  
EnderCreepers: Hahaha, woooooow, you've hit an all time new level of laziness. Hell, that must've been a few months since your last review. My memory isn't that good! Glad you've still got the energy to read Endergirl though. Good luck my friend. :P  
TheHerobrine: _Three times?_ Holy crap, I'm sorry. ':D Glad it's good enough for you to read it that much though. Here's an update that only took one week to make up for it. Oh, and hope you like Leo's part.  
A happy reader: Everyone loves pudding. Ahhh, bingo, that black case, is indeed, his violin. We'll see more of it later, I'm sure. And I'm not sure about that cop's story... he's uhhh... no longer in service. ':3 Actually, looking at it now, I think all of your questions were answered in this chapter. Minus the violin, damn. As always, thanks for your support, you're a big source of motivation. Take care, Happy. :)  
Darkfire2000: YOU SENT ME A PM THAT I DIDN'T ANSWER, DIDN'T YOU. I'MA GO FIND IT RIGHT NOW. - Okay, done. Sorry. ':D THIS IS A REALLY GOOD REVIEW THOUGH. Wait, Endergirl _inspired_ Mob Talker: Fresh New World!? God damn, so happy right now. That was an amazing story, I really enjoyed it. CHECK OUT DARKFIRE'S STORY IF YOU LIKE MOB TALKERS. Whoot, free shout out for you. You are so down for MC, once we get the server that is. Heheh. Again, thanks for that pointer. Please, keep making them. :)  
Alton House: READ THE CHAPTER FIRST! :'j Glad I cheered you up though... Baka. Please do tell if my writing style drops though, or improves, need that in my life. Borderlands fic is getting there, slowly. FEAR THE MOM! Sorry to say, but Endergirl probably won't be adding more OCs for a while, the current minor characters (Zoe, Key, Sky and Felix) _reeeeeallly_ need to be fleshed out first. But if there's ever a need for OCs, you'll be the first I ask. Besides, you've got Adrian in AFC. Yep, don't worry, you are the Man In A Mask, got it. :D Thanks for all the critiquing though, seriously appreciate it. Now, now, do I critique your spinoff? Or nah? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... Okay, wait while I try and find the fucker somewhere in the reviews section so I can reread it. Good god... Nope, I can't. PM it to me, and I'll do it. I've always imagined A Man In A Mask's mask being the mask from The Mask. Try saying that five times fast. Only review again once you've done it successfully. Muha, Muhahahahahahhaha!  
Chase1998: Stay with us Chase, you can make it. Be strong! A Fool's Conviction chapter six is almost complete! Virtual hug of support! Actually, one of my old relationships, we had this thing where on the phone (because I had a Nokia) we would give Nokia hugs. THEY'RE UNBREAKABLE. Nokia hug for you Chase.  
The D0ctor: You're joking. That shit was talented. You've got mad skills. You need to write more. And I want to read it. SHARE YOUR TALENT OR BE EATEN. That is the rule. :J Short stories are sometimes _way_ for effective than novels. You've certainly made use of that trait. Don't worry 'bout the length. MORE WRITING. :D  
commanderimf: I am _so_ happy to hear I _actually_ made you laugh. Even happier to know it provided even a little bit of relief in your world. I hope you're okay man. Stay strong, okay? You're an irreplaceable member of the brigade. :) Thanks for everything.  
Waddleloo: Hahahaha, you have fun with that. Feel free to just point out every spelling mistake as you go. :'D  
welcometodalolz: BOW DOWN TO ME, PEASANTS. I AM THE RULER OF FREE TIME. NONE SHALL BE LEFT UNPILLAGED. ;P  
Elsie5445: You're an idiot. Let's go on Tuesday.  
MattyJones: Finally, a reviewer who uses proper grammar. I could kiss you. I'll try to hold myself back though, for your sake. Glad you're enjoying it. :)  
Mineking57: Don't worry, he's alive! ...For now. Muha, Muhahahahahaha. Went and watched season three of RWBY, and holy shit was it awesome. Glad you reminded me to do so. Thanks! Looking forward to reading your story now, of course. And why, David's mother left before they arrived, didn't she? *Furiously searching through previous chapter* She did! CONFIRMED.  
Shine Archetype: Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine~ The server should be up and running by next chapter. Got it down. *Thumbs up* And, _dude, bruh, see the surfer, feel the surfer, be the surfer._ *Kiss* ...That got awkward real quick. I think it's because your the last review. *Tentative kiss* WOW, okay, I'm going to stop. Jess says "Oh um, hello?" Keep in mind, she's practically anemic. Take care, and stay _raaaaaaaaaad~._ ;)

HOT DOGE. Figures, if I update early enough, I only have to answer one and a half pages of reviews, rather than three pages of reviews! Also, I didn't have to get threatened by Jaco. Kind of miss the little sucker though. Hmph.

Oh and I updated my profile picture. Drew it myself, threw it illustrator, colored it. Just a quick little thing. Felt like I needed a change though. Do you like it?

MINECRAFT SERVER SHOULD BE UP WITH THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

And with that, I bid you...

Ciao.

\- Sylent


	35. The start of a word

**Author Note:**

*Awkwardly pushes out new chapter, hoping nobody will notice it's been almost two months*

I'm sorry! *Drops to knees* Forgive me! A lot has been going on, and I fear it's only going to get more hectic for the rest of the year. I'm in grade twelve, and I've been trying to maintain my marks while figuring out what to do with my life. Wanna hear a story?

As the somewhat sully and somber student, strut into school assembly on a dull winter's afternoon, they glanced lazily up at the projector boards. It had been a long night, and therefor their eyes were hazy to the list of details. However, they soon recognized the all too familiar names which belonged to the intellectuals and academics of the grade. They gave an uninterested _hum,_ "award ceremony, huh?"

_John Doe  
Jane Doe  
Sarah Connor  
Sylent Doom  
John Cena_

"Wait, what the fuck?"

I got an academic excellence award. Which means my GPA is higher than 12.5, or something... I felt _sooooo_ awkward up on that stage, next to all the super nerds. Everyone was super confused. _I_ was super confused. But that aside, I figure if I actually spend the next semester _trying_ to do well, I could get an overall academic award, which looks super good on pretty much any application. Umm, so... yeah. Sorry in advance. It seems I might become more of a hermit than I have been...

As for the rest of my life...

Game development and plot writing. Could be fun, huh? I'll go to university (no idea which one) and take a gap year. During that year, I'm going to backpack around, probably visit relatives over in the U.S. Hey, maybe I'll bump into some of you guys! I'll work as I go, with a handy citizenship I picked up about seventeen years ago. As long as I don't make enough to pay tax, I should be fine. After that, might trek over to Europe. I've heard they have some good food over there. But really, I have no idea what'll happen. Something tells me I might not get back in time for my university course though. ':D

... I just don't understand how people can stay in the same old life forever...

Ahem, well... here's a chapter! Oh, also, the next chapter will be out super quick (hopefully in time for someone's birthday,) since I started writing it ages ago.

Enjoy.

Starting Perspective: David

* * *

**The start of a word.**

Felix had made a full recovery. Well rested, and full of questions. I began wondering if I could get away with knocking him out again.

He had woken us all up with his girlish scream, closely followed by "A- A- Amber!?"

The humour behind the event was lost on me.

It took Raven a good half an hour to explain the situation. "She doesn't _like_ you, she was just _healing_ you. No, if you get injured again she'll probably refuse. I don't know the fucking science behind it!"

It was a short walk to the cave's entrance.

We had saddled up our gear, and left some behind. Isaac packed the food and water, Key carried the Ender Dragon egg, I heaved the utensils, along with Sky's ammunition. I felt a little sketchy about having fifty loose rounds at the bottom of the backpack, but not much could be done about that. For some reason, the blue haired girl had strapped my black case around her shoulder, the one that accidently came with us. I had tried to explain that it wasn't necessary, but she didn't seem bothered. I wasn't about to argue with someone who wouldn't reply.

The group came to a halt before the gaping mouth of stone.

A moment of silence gave our respect, and our apprehension. I cleared my throat. "Okay, we go in, we get _straight_ out. No detours, no exploration. Everyone got that?"

"Aye, Cap'n" Raven mocked.

I shot her a look.

She tilted her head slightly, intrigued. A challenge rose in her eyes, answering to my unusual aggression.

It took me a moment to realise what was happening. My mind was obviously on other things. "Sorry."

The redhead nodded.

I turned my attention to the rest of the group. "Any questions?"

"Y- Yes." Felix started.

My eyes rolled on their own accord. "What?"

He seemed to pick up on my mood, but wasn't dissuaded. "Can I have a weapon, or something?"

"Do you know how to use one?"

"Well, n- no."

"So do you think you'd be of any help?"

"I-"

"We can't spare tools on a useless fighter." My gaze narrowed.

"I'm sure I can help someho-"

"You can't."

"David," Raven growled "can I talk to you for a sec?"

I stayed put, just wanting to be on our way.

She wrapped a fist around my collar and began dragging me off. "Just come here you fuckwit."

We put a fair length of distance between us and the others, retreating into the long grass of the pastures. She dropped her hold on me, whirling around. "What the fuck is going on?"

My mouth pulled in an odd direction. "What do you mean?"

"Felix has had nothing but bad luck since meeting us! You don't need to go rubbing insult to injury."

Silence was my answer.

"Don't tell me this as all because you're _jealous._ 'Oh no, Amber was sleeping with another man!' Are you fucking kidding me? Get the fuck over it."

"I wouldn't expect you to understand."

Her face dropped. Frozen in place. I could hear her teeth grinding. "Oh… that's rich." An unbelieving humour intruded her speech. "That's _so_ rich… Because, _I_ haven't been watching my _best friend,_ sleeping with another woman for the past few weeks. And I mean, _I_ didn't have to sit by and _watch_ as the person I liked, found some other girl, and ran off with her."

My stomach was queasy. _Best friend?_ And the person she liked… Isaac?

"Get your shit together." Turning, she stormed off back towards the group.

Her words hung in my head… Best friend. She didn't have anyone else… did she? Online, when she was the cocky LeftHandedSiren, we talked about everything. And at school we may have hated each other, but out of the whole class, I knew her best.

I felt childish.

* * *

Coming back had been awkward enough. After all, I was supposed to be some type of leader and I had gone and blown up at the newbie. Nevertheless, Raven handed him one of her hatchets with the words "loose it and I'll kill you." Before I knew it, we were stepping through the darkness.

It was a time before we had a torch assembled. The mob's amusement was obvious as the four humans fumbled their way around the dark. Eventually though, the cavern lit up, a golden glow casting long shadows from every shape.

The annoyance and guilt was recognisable enough in my mind. I let the others take the lead, and opted to the back of the caravan, trailing Sky. I focused on her footsteps, trying to let out my pent up breath.

She was quiet, almost as much as Isaac. Her unpolished school shoes made no noise on the uneven stone. It seemed natural to her, like a passive ability. I suppose it ran parallel with her career…

I almost ran into her when the whole group came to a halt.

Zoe held a hand up from the front, signalling the pause. We stopped to listen. At first, there was nothing but the dull echo of empty space. But within moments, the hammer of tools took its place. Dozens of them.

An image flashed to mind of the last time we were down here. When I met Zoe, she was being held captive by humans. Villagers. They certainly weren't friendly towards hybrids.

We began moving again, quieter. I found myself cringing at every misplaced noise. They usually came from Felix.

Every step seemed to bring us closer to the racket, and it soon felt like the pounding iron was right next to us, ready to break through the confines of our cavern and spill light into the darkness. The solid ground quivered with every hit. It was nerve-wracking.

The ground underfoot was beginning to become more brittle, as if in premonition to the miner's picks.

I saw Zoe signal towards a coming fork, a rough tunnel that split off from our current track. It caved upwards steeply, and looked about as doggy as Scientology. It gave me an off feeling, like when you peer into a carton of milk, and just know that it's well past expired. I almost voiced my concerns, but held my tongue. There was no evidence to back up my gut. Besides…

It was probably nothing.

We carried onwards, starting up the ascent. I could already feel my muscles complaining. Maybe they were just telling me to stop.

The others had hurried on ahead, anxious to reach the top without delay. But Sky hadn't moved far from me. She must have been able to, she seemed fit enough. Her eyes scanned back, a little curious at my hesitation.

A thundering crack shook the entire cavern. A string of explosions, showering us in debris from the unchecked roof above. The stone shrieked, and split in a hundred places. And all at once, it began _falling._

Without so much as I thought, I snatched for Sky's wrist, and heaved her towards me, launching the both of us backwards down the slope. That terrifying feeling of uncontrolled weightlessness… I pulled the falling girl as close as I could, trying to shelter her from the inevitable impact.

The descent brought us flipping over, and all at once, the solid face of stone rushed in at us, and smacked with full force against my unprepared legs. They crumbled, and we went rolling, sliding across the brittle surface with enough force to snap something inside my body. Unable to stop myself, I cried out at the sudden lashing of pain.

Outfall and rubble scattered around us, rolling like a stampeded where we ran at its head. Large boulders clamped away the lingering light from Raven's torch, slamming us into darkness like prison bars.

And then it was still.

Faint clatters of unrested pebbles were all that remained. A haze of dust coated the air, making me scoff as it twitched my throat.

I heard Sky do the same, a light coughing fit. It was odd, hearing her make a noise. But the revelation soon waned from mind as the uncontrollable pain caught up with my observations. I was battered and bruised all over, that much was sure. But…

I lay motionless, lungs heaving breath through grimaced teeth. Groaning, I mad the effort to lift my head, trying to stare down at the main source of my agony.

The darkness was too thick.

I couldn't see a thing. Briefly, I recalled my physics one 'o' one class. I had elected it as a way to pass time, but it had always been far more work than I was prepared to deal with. Nonetheless, it taught me a bit.

If there's no source of light at all, your eyes will never adjust. If it's completely sealed off from every ray and spark, then you won't even be able to see your hand in front of your face.

It scared the shit out of me.

"Sky," I paused to cough "are you alright?"

There was a silence, before a single noise resonated through the space. "I-" It cut off, as if swallowed back down. A start of a word. It sounded uneven and unsure, as if it had lay unused for years.

Surprise jumped through my pain, but didn't stay for long. She wasn't going to continue. "Tap on the stone. Once for 'yes', twice for 'no'."

A second ticked by before a single flat beat echoed out.

"Are you alright?"

Tap. Yes.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

Tap, tap. No.

I let out a sigh of relief. "Alright…"

Tap, tap, tap. Three?

I took a guess at what she meant. "No, I think my leg is broken."

Stone shifted as the girl shuffled towards my voice. It was a moment before she found me, her palm planting on my face by accident.

"Yep, hi." I spoke distortedly through her fingers.

She retreated quickly, hesitating before she poked at my chest, then at my stomach. She was trying to find her way to the injury. I tensed my jaw, hoping she wouldn't fuck the next one up. Her finger grazed my thigh, unsure itself. Thankfully, she had dodged the bullet. Her next touch took her to my knee.

"Other leg."

Readjusting, she placed her fingers on my right calf. It was light, but enough to make me wince. Her pause was evident, but she didn't retract this time.

"Just get it over with."

If I could see her, she probably would have nodded. Her hands clasped around the limb, as gentle as possible, but still trying to get a job done. My teeth ground against each other as I groaned through them. She ran down the length of the bone, checking every fault.

I gasped in breath as she finished the examination.

Tap. Yes, it's definitely broken.

It was a moment before I could ask. "How many breaks?"

She tapped twice. Two, huh? Fantastic.

"David!" A barely audible voice echoed into the darkness. "David, tell me you're alright…"

Amber… She sounded worried.

"We're fine! Just a few scrapes."

Isaac's octave rose up. "Hang on, I'm gonna blow a hole in this mess."

A shot of adrenaline hit my heart. "No! Don't! You'll bring the entire mountain down on our heads. We'll just find another way around."

"We still have the torch, how are you planning to see?"

The lies just kept coming. "We can still see fine. There's a glow coming from down the other tunnel. We'll head that way."

It was a time before anyone replied.

"So, we'll meet you in Veradale then?" Amber asked, at odds.

"Yeah, that sounds good."

"Promise?"

…How was I supposed to reply to that? My chest tightened as I forced the words out. "Promise."

"…Okay." Nothing moved for a while. It was just quiet, suspenseful quiet. "Be careful."

I heard the faint shift of stone as she climbed away.

"We'll meet you at The Groggy Zombie!" Isaac planned, following after her.

…The Groggy Zombie? An image popped into my head. It was quiet an amusing one. My mind soon returned to the present, only to realise we were well and truly alone. It felt kind of empty, having the group split up again…

"Don't do anything stupid…" A mumble came from the other side.

My expression rose slightly. "We'll be careful, Raven."

"Mm."

The axe wielder scuffled away, leaving us for real this time.

I waited until I was sure it was just the two of us, letting out a sad sigh. It was still pitch black, but I could feel my remaining companion hovering. "Sorry Sky."

The dull echo of the cavern was her only reply.

* * *

**Perspective Change: Sky**

* * *

I understood why he lied.

He didn't want to worry them. Maybe it was a good thing. Or maybe not. But he hadn't said a word since. And neither had I.

The hammer of picks began soon after the explosion, drilling towards us with more and more certainty. As far as I could tell, David had no idea if they were hostile or not. But with his leg broken, and no light source, we didn't really have more than one option. The other tunnel might still be open, but picking our way through the dark…

Caves were scarier than I had imagined.

Subconsciously, I reached down for the waist of my skirt, pulling my shirt up a little to get at what was underneath. Easing the crumpled box out, I flipped up its lid and selected a joint, placing it between my lips.

My other hand struck at the lighter.

The darkness vanished, and the new light shocked my eyes, making me retreat from it. David's gaze snapped to the source, and replaced a dull expression with one of disbelief. Silently, a hue rose to my cheeks, as I realised how stupid I had been.

I hid the reaction behind my cigarette, as I set it alight.

The boy stuck his tongue between his lips, moistening them briefly before he spoke. "You've had that the entire time?"

I didn't respond.

It took him a while to realise I wouldn't. "You forgot about it?"

My jaw clenched, adding another shade to my skin. I snapped the lid shut, dousing out the flame with a sharp _click._

He chuckled. "Alright, alright, let's just get out of here."

After a moment of hesitation, I struck the fire again, shooting him a quick glance before looking around.

The cavern was littered with dulled stones and mismatched chips of debris. The entire surface seemed uneven and odd, like grass covered with autumn leaves. Except instead of the brightly coloured oranges, yellows and reds, only a single boring grey made up the palette. As I traced the shade outwards to the edge of my lighter's range, I caught on the other tunnel, or at least what was left of it…

Large dishevelled boulders occupied most of the opening, however, a small trail still patterned its way through the destruction, leaving a small gap of space. It would be a squeeze, but I could probably make it.

But David…

I heard a ruffle behind me as the boy tried to rise. His wince echoed.

My head turned just in time to see the beginning of his fall. It took a moment to register, but I quickly pushed to my feet, and latched onto him. He was a lot heavier than I had imagined, and I barely managed to keep us upright. But in a moment, we steadied.

"Thanks."

I nodded, struggling to keep the lighter from burning either of us. Taking a breath, I pointed towards the gap in the rubble, relaying my thoughts.

He hesitated for a moment, "yeah?"

Yeah? Could he make it or not? My eyes adverted up to him, realising how close we were, his face only a few centimetres away. It was easy to tell he was still in pain, but he seemed focused on the task ahead. His chin revealed a slight stubble…

"Let's give it a try."

I began to step away from him, but his hand caught my shoulder. I looked back, surprised.

"S- Sorry." His expression was sheepish, "I'm not sure if I can…"

Nodding, I returned to his side, and let him place an arm over me. I held his waist in support, with only a slight pause. Would this cause trouble with the white-haired girl? The thought left my mind as we took our first step, and started towards the opening.

Briefly, I noted one of the supply packs was still attached to him, as was the black instrument case attached to me. Would he be okay to carry it? If we were going to find a way out of here, then it would be a long walk. And with his leg the way it was…

I didn't ask.

* * *

**Author Note:**

Alright, I have a confession to make... I'm broke, and unemployed. If you guys still want to play MC, somebody'll have to volunteer a server. Gomennasai.

Another thing... SIX FUCKING PAGES OF REVIEWS. ARE YOU SERIOUS? I'VE BEEN POSTPONING THIS FOR SO LONG, BECAUSE I KNOW IT'LL TAKE ME A GOOD _THREE HOURS_ TO GET THROUGH. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU- *Sigh*

Last thing... One of you struck up a conversation with me, and it was really nice. We shared Skype details, and chatted for a few days, went through some stuff, figured out some stuff, and took some steps forward. It felt really good to be able to open up to someone so simply, I haven't done that in a long time... And then, I went quiet again. Days ticked by, and I kept thinking that I had to message you back. But I didn't, because my time was just eaten up, and with each day that passed, I felt increasingly guilty. I know I shouldn't start talking to anyone, because I can never stick to a conversation. A distraction comes in, and then I'm gone for _months._ I can't just turn back up, if I'm going to do the same thing all over again. So... I'm sorry. If anybody needs help, or advice, or occasional support, I'm here for you. But I'm a sucky friend...

So, reviews! (Six pages of them) (Hyping myself up after all that!)

**Funniest Review:**** ponyguy2003  
"please update soon"  
**Whoops...

Alfa: *Drum rolls on desk* (I actually did that) **TIED FOR**** THE RECORD FOR MOST CHAPTERS READ IN A DAY!** Hahaha, sucked in. You can blame CreepingAngel50 for that. Thanks for the support Alfa, and welcome to the Donut Brigade!  
zedproskater: Hahaha, it certainly has been a long time. Thanks for reading, and hey, thanks for favoriting Aqua! "SYYYYYYLLLLLEEEEEEENT when u gonna update" Six hours after you submitted that, apparently. :P  
TopazstarV: Glad you're enjoying it! 1) I imagine David will be imprisoned for life. The end. :P 2) You, my friend, have just given me a lead. Thank you kindly. 3) Your vote has been added. :) Welcome to the Donut Brigade!  
Ha: I love you too. 3  
ponyguy2003: Hahaha, sorrrry! The Endergirl is pretty cool. Let's see if we can get her some more screen time in the future. Thanks for following, and welcome to the Donut brigade!  
DavidxKey: You know, I'm beginning to wonder if all these guest accounts that submit votes aren't the same person... Meh, vote counted!  
Noah the Writer: Heyo! I'm glad you're enjoying it. Half Wither hmmmmm? Sadly, someone already submitted a Wither hybrid about six months ago ':D, so that'll have to have priority. Sorry 'bout that. But, I'll see if I can fit a 'Noah' in somewhere. Welcome to the Donut Brigade!  
cloudscenexd: Hey... Sorry I'm such an idiot. There's still a bunch of Skype messages sitting on my phone, waiting to be replied to... Hahaha, you left a shit ton of reviews, I remember that now. Actually... TWO ENTIRE PAGES BELONG TO YOU! *Growls* No, I remember reading all of them while you were reading the story. It was pretty awesome actually. I enjoyed it. :) Still, I'm sorry I disappeared. I'm going to go and send you a message as soon as these are done. I hope you're not mad. And as far as these reviews go, I don't even know what to respond to. It seems like every chapter hit you with a new emotion, and every second word seems to be "plz", "pls" or "please." Still, I read through them all, and it made me laugh all over again. You're brilliant. Glad you've enjoyed it so far. :) Talk soon.  
CreepingAngel50: *Reads username* *Glances around office nervously* Why? **TIED FOR MOST CHAPTERS READ IN A DAY!** Eight hours of reading!? Wow, you've got some strength. Glad you especially seemed to like the romance. I enjoy writing it, so yeah, it's good to get feedback about it. :) Welcome to the Donut Brigade!  
UncleInTheAttic: Books? Yay! They've been added to the list. Thanks. :) And you're seriously convinced I'm a girl huh? Let's see, **quiz... you score: 3.5/10**... Are you even a fan? *Gives disgusted look* *Turns back* Live the rest of your pitiful life knowing you have failed. Death would be too good for you. *Spits* That pathetic attempt aside ;), "fleshed out" as in take the flesh from their bones, and scatter it around the room. Muha. You don't want _Felix_ to die? Interesting... Oh Uncle, you can have me all to yourself if you _really_ want, but it would be a whole lot of me not talking, and you trying to figure out what I'm thinking. :3 *Finds another review six pages later that starts with "OH MY GOD, YOUR NAME IS SARAH-"* Oh lordy lord, YOU ARE SUPER PERSISTENT! (It's kind of flattering actually, hahaha) Not a fan of KeyXZoe? I thought it was quite good! Yeah, actually, where the hell is Jaco? He's probably haunting us silently. Damn tree huger. YOU TOLD PEOPLE? *Shakes nervously* Yeah... I don't like my early writing either. Go back and read chapter one, it's terrible. See ya brother!

I just had a sudden thought. I haven't really ever tried to write something _seductive..._ I kind of want to try it. But now I've got a weird feeling in the back of my throat. "Don't do it, you'll just embarrass yourself," it says. Meh, what's the worst that could happen? **ONE OF THE FOLLOWING REVIEWERS HAS BEEN SELECTED AS A GUINEA PIG.** God save you. (It's Mineking57)

A happy reader: As always, thank you! :) **Quiz results: 5/10.** Congrats on beating UncleInTheAttic (although that's not really a challenge.) 50% means a pass! Well done! Yeah, Zoe and Key was something I've been wanting to develop. Didn't really know how to do it though, but this way seems to work well. What do you think? Well, if David wasn't upset before, he certainly is now. But you're dead right about that kiss. Who knows if he'll ever tell Amber? You're a legend. Thanks for reviewing as always. Take care 'till next time, kay? :)  
Ender: You sound worn out. Have things gotten any better since you reviewed? Glad Endergirl is still interesting though. And since everyone is asking about it, I may as well tell _someone_ my gender. I'll just tell you. Keep it a secret though okay? You'll be happy to know, I'm a- *gets fake message* Oh, I'll tell you later. }:3  
Mineking57: **HAAAAAPPYYYYY BIIIIIIRTHDAAAAAAAY! **It's a bit late by now, I suppose, but still! Get anything cool? As a present, I'll give you a clue to my gender... or would you prefer something else as a gift? Something a little more... alluring? Of course that could be dangerous, if you still think I'm not a girl... It's inconvenient at times like this, when I'm trying to say these things. If you knew I was a girl, then we could think about going a little _further._ Then again, it always has been hard for me to get close to guys... But, maybe if it's you... I could do it. I'm listening... so what do you want to do with me? (See note above)

*Slams head on desk* Dear god, my face was red the entire time I was writing it. And it wasn't even that good. Maybe I can't write erotica after all... Any of you guys feel like giving an amateur some tips?

Mineking57 (Continued): Ahem, sorry 'bout that... Heheh... **Quiz results! 6/10!** Nice! Best score so far. Love all your side notes. And dude! Update your stories more! Not that I can talk... Always good to hear from you. :) (Sees original review) FUCK YOUR PUNS.  
Ghfux: **Kill Amber and set David up with Key? Sure. You got it. Shall do. Thanks Sadistic Steve! :D**  
ANIMEFORDAYSXD: Have I complimented your username before? Because I feel like it definitely needs compliments. My compliments. Key and Zoe? Yeah, I wasn't sure if that came out right or not. *Goes back to read it* ...Hmm, could have been better. Anyway, thanks for following and reviewing!

*Doodaloodadoo doodaloodaoo* *Sleeps* *Wakes up two days later*

Elsi5445: Quiz score: 4/10. I even told you all of the answers... You're shipping Key and Zoe way too much. Chill bruh. Go eat a pickle.  
Fleelfmuister: Quiz score: 3/10. YOU DID WORSE THAN UNCLEINTHEATTIC! Wooooooooooooooooow... Don't fear the meme squad! Way I see it, you've got three hours to convince them not to kill you! AKs or MKs? Well, depends on the situation I suppose. MKs are heavier and more for combat, where an AK could probably be used for hunting as well. Mind you, I've never shot either of them. Video games? MK. Zombie apocalypse? AK. Hows that for an answer? :P Chick-fil-a... I learn more about American culture every day. Thank you for continuing my education! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand I'm going to ignore your other review, because I'm pretty sure you wrote it while you were drunk. :'D  
Shine Archetype: Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine, lookin' fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnne! **QUIZ RESULTS: 10/10!** THE TRUE FAN IS HERE! You're so smart, your memory is brilliant, you are a god. SOOONGS! Thank you. :3 *Looks at Hopes and Memes* *Watches ten seconds* *Closes browser* I will neither confirm nor confirm my name to be Sarah. *Musical notes* I WILL TRAVEL ACROSS THE SEA, SEARCHING FAR AND WIDE, EACH WAVE TO RUMBLE BEHIND, THE SURFER THAT'S INSIDE! *Musical notes* Oh yeah, puns! ... *Flips table*  
PBJFanFiction: You are very good at counting... Hey! Good to hear from you again! I MISSED YOUR BIRTHDAY!? *Tears* AND WHY DO YOU ALWAYS GET SO MUCH COOL SHIT!? *Moar tears* Oh, except for those, how are you holding up? N- No chocolate? *Internet hug* I'm so sorry... You told me to listen to _I'm Everywhere_ by Teknoaxe, and it was really good! Nice vocals on it too. So thanks for that. :) GEOMETRY DASH HOLY SHIT, YOU CANT PUT IT DOWN. What's your high score? Hope you're still enjoying the story. Take care. :)  
Chase1998: Well, it was neither soon, nor after the next chapter of your all time favorite story, Hyperion Brat. :D Jealousy only got higher in this chapter... Not sure if it worked very well though, what do you think? And hey, thanks for checking in on me. I'll try to get another chapter of AFC out soon. Your support is always amazing. :)  
Alton House: Ha, caught you in the act. Quiz scores: 3/10. Dude... "Amber being Amber at some point in this story." 'A' plus effort. Are you okay? You sound sick. In other news, apparently Klaus is now a lesbian, ZoeXKey is A.H. approved, and more guilt about the MC server incoming. D': Can you give me another bump on that EG Spinoff? I'm gonna read it again but my inbox is a mess. (Getting into the hundreds of missed messages now) Definitely the wooden version of the mask. Wait, you really are sick. Holy shit, are you alright? Still alive? Don't go dying on me! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmph, now you've got me worried...  
MattyJones: Hahaha, glad you think so. I find sleep is a good way to build character relations.  
welcometodalolz: Sorry 'bout the long update. Hopefully you found a way to fill your free time. :J A Fool's Conviction will get a new chapter soon, hopefully. Stay frosty. *Hurls* Never saying that again...

*Writes out rest of reviews* *Clicks save* *Internet throws a fit* *Loses reviews* Fuuuuuuu-

TichePotato: You sir/ma'am, are a legend! You should post your story on here so I can read it! But you're definitely right, we shouldn't be ashamed of writing and reading stuff we enjoy. I'll take your words to heart. "Society is broken. As hell." -TichePotato, 2016 Thanks for reading. :)  
derpysauce: DID YOU JUST DIS SAO!? BURN THE HEATHEN! Hahaha, I've seen a bit of gameplay for Crypt of the Necrodancer, and you're right, the soundtrack is awesome, BUT DID YOU JUST DIS UNDERTALE!? "Grills" reading fanfics? I'd pay to see that. Spelling mistakes aside though, yeah, it's hard to find guys who admit to reading and writing fanfiction, especially in real life... Still, I'm glad they exist. :)  
Lil'Kitty: Uhhhhuh. You'll need a full account to PM me, and even then, it might get lost in my inbox. But please do send me a message, I'm interested. Thanks for reading. :)  
The D0ctor: Yay! Hearing that actually makes me so happy. Keep writing, okay. :)

Okay guys, that was waaaaaaaaaaaay too long. I've been getting encouragement from family, friends, and even some of you guys, to completely stop answering reviews. I _really_ don't want to, but I can see what they're getting at. So... **From now on, I'll only be answering the first ten reviews, and any that I feel need an answer.** I'm really sorry, but this is killing the actual story. You guys mean so much to me, which is half of the reason I feel like giving you more to read. Long time followers, and people that I usually rant about things with (I'm looking at you Uncle, Herobrine, Alton, and others) I love talking to you guys especially, and I want to continue doing so. I'll try my best to manage everything better, but for now, **The first ten reviews for each chapter, are the only ones that will be answered.** By doing this, hopefully we'll be able to read the next chapter as soon as it's done. But, if you want to argue against this, or provide a different option, please go ahead.

You lot mean the world to me, and there's no doubt you were what encouraged and raised my passion. Tell me what you think. :)

Next chapter will be a special one, and should be released on the 17th of July. Hopefully you'll enjoy it. 'Till then, take care, use sticky notes, avoid HDMI cables, and don't forget to floss. ALSO HOW GOOD IS OVERWATCH, HOLY SHIT.

Ciao.

\- Sylent


	36. An uncertain aftertaste

**Author Note:**

HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLEINTHEATTIC! (Everybody say happy birthday in the reviews or I'll kill off a main character!) :D

Ever since he started reading Endergirl, he's been a whole lot of fun. His constant effort to find out and speculate my identity makes it very entertaining for to read his reviews, and his memes are equally as hilarious. He's a legend, and he's a true fan. (Even if he did fuck up the quiz pretty tragically) It's been a pleasure and a privilege, sir. Please enjoy your birthday present, dedicated entirely to you.

UNFORTUNATELY... This is in no way, shape, or form, a "happy" story. So... saddy birthday, I guess. ':D

You guys seemed to love it last time I did one of these, and I've been thinking about this one for a while. Maybe it will help you understand... Still, I hope I did everything okay, and your comments on writing, plot, character development and pretty much anything else, are always appreciated.

Also, I'm a little uncertain about how I handled the ending, so please for the love of god let me know.

Enjoy. (And don't forget to say happy birthday.) :)

Starting Perspective: Sky

* * *

**An uncertain aftertaste.**

* * *

**Time Leap: Seven years ago**

* * *

"Is it lined up properly?"

Refocussing on the scope, I looked through the collection of lenses. The crosshairs peered through the wavering forest, and fell upon a deer. A newly born fawn nudged at the summer grass beside its mother, still a little frightened of the world.

But the sights were too low. Trying to remember my way around the bulky weapon, I fiddled with the dials above the eyepiece. A miniscule touch levelled the shot perfectly. "Set."

The man lying next to me spoke in a hushed tone. "Now, take off the safety."

"O- Okay." I flicked the small lever on the gun's side. It made a tiny click.

"Are you braced for the recoil?" His tone came out slightly amused.

My lips pursed, realising I had forgotten one of the essentials. My body was too rigid, I needed to relax. Trying to remain as quite as possible, I shifted until I was in the proper position.

"Don't forget to steady your breathing… Fire when ready."

I followed his instructions, and let my exhales slow. It took a few seconds, but soon I could hold the weapon perfectly still for just long enough. I examined my target once more. Its fur was smooth and void of imperfections, the dark eyes and snout gleamed in the sunlight as it filtered through the overgrowth. The baby fawn nuzzled up to its mother's leg…

I pulled the trigger.

An ear shattering crack reverberated through the air as the barrel sparked. The whir of the bullet was masked by wingbeats from a dozen birds, frightened away by the sound. For a moment, my view was obstructed by a subtle line of gun smoke. When it cleared, the lifeless body of a once beautiful animal greeted my eyes.

It was mesmerizing, how quickly a life could be taken.

"Clean?" My instructor asked.

The beast wasn't moving. I had aimed for the temple. "Clean…"

A rough hand clapped me on the back. "Good job. Let's go take a look."

I didn't respond as I flicked the safety back, and capped the sights. My muscles complained as I stood, having been cramped in prone for so long. The front half of my body was covered in a thin layer of dirt from where I had been lying on the ground.

The man who had been lecturing me since early morning, stood, and stretched out his arms. He was exactly how you'd expect a military man to look. Broad in the shoulders, with more than enough muscle to back up his stern expression. His features were chiselled, and his stance was steadfast. An overgrown crewcut measured the time he had spent away from the battlefield.

He gave a smile, something that he reserved for only mom and me. "You're daydreaming again, kid."

I blinked a few times, escaping from my thoughts. Kneeling back down, I retrieved the heavy rifle, and flipped up its detachable stand. _The Remington Sendero SF II…_ It shot a three hundred calibre Winchester Magnum round, and weighed about eight point five lbs, not including the scope, stand, or sling. Its general accuracy was pretty much unparalleled for a rifle of its size, and it had been argued to be one of Remington's best.

The knowledge that my father had drilled into me was not something easily forgot…

I strapped the tether across my chest, and let the weapon cling to my back snugly. At first, I had struggled with the weight, but after a few exhibitions, I started to become used to it. As such, our journeys gradually progress in time. This would be our third day in the forest.

As we hiked the three hundred meters to the kill site, I began to wonder how long this would last.

It would be nice, if we could stay out here forever…

"We're heading home after this."

"Oh…"

"Disappointed?"

"A little."

He gave a small chuckle. "Like father, like daughter."

I smiled a little at the revised saying.

The grass got longer as we approached the clearing. We stalked through the reeds, careful of any lurking creatures. Although, after the gunshot, it was unlikely. 'It's when you're relaxed, or distracted, that the enemy attacks. Always keep that in the back of your mind.' It was one of dad's most common lessons.

I detached the rifle from its hold, and levelled it at my hip as we approached the fallen animal, just on the odd chance that it began kicking as we neared. I wasn't confident enough in my shooting to allow for carelessness.

But it soon became clear that the puncture next to its eye had killed it dead. My father crouched next to the beast, peering at the wound. "You were off by three centimetres."

My teeth ground subconsciously, annoyed at myself. "Sloppy."

The man laughed. "You're eleven. I know more than a few grown men who wouldn't dream of hitting anything three hundred and twenty two meters away. A few centimetres is more than acceptable for now."

It always amazed me how accurately he could measure distances. And he was always forgiving when I made mistakes. But, that didn't mean I felt any better about making them.

I snapped the gun barrel behind me, as I recognised the sound of leaves crackling.

Shyly, a familiar fawn stumbled out of the shrubbery. It looked at us curiously, unable to distinguish between threats and harmless objects. I lowered the gun slightly as the newborn wandered towards the fresh carcass. It sniffed at the wound, and licked at its mother's snout. But the lifeless animal wouldn't answer its baby, no matter how it begged.

I could feel dad's eyes on me. He was waiting to see what I'd do.

Slowly, I cocked my gun. The fawn jumped at the noise, and looked up at me with interest. It didn't so much as flinch when I raised the weapon to my shoulder. I watched its huge eyes as it stared at me over the sights. It seemed to become distracted by a new breeze, which rolled past us briefly, casting a few green leaves from their branches.

My mind was blank.

I had shot the deer for practice and sport… I understood that. But this, this was neither of those. I was hardly a meter away, and with a .300, it didn't matter where I hit it, it would die instantly. But, a fawn couldn't survive on its own. It would be picked off by some predator within the hour. So, it didn't really matter if I was the one to kill it…

I lowered my gun.

The creature wandered in closer as I crouched down in front of it. Its legs were too long for its body, so it stumbled slightly, but eventually, it came close enough for me to ruffle its fur. It seemed oddly content with the contact, and nuzzled up to me as it would its mother.

"I'll look after it."

My father let out a sigh. "Fine, but it's not allowed in the house."

I nodded.

* * *

**Time Leap: One week later**

* * *

Breeze, the newly named fawn, rocketed across the cabin floorboards with the daily newspaper clamped tightly between his jaws, desperately trying to outrun my infuriated father.

"Bring back my newspaper you filthy rodent!" The man yelped, sliding after the deer in his socks.

Breeze ducked underneath the dining room table, quickly jumping out the other side. My father careened around the obstacle with impressive agility, but failed to avoid slamming into the adjacent hardwood wall.

He recovered in no time at all. "I'm seriously going to skin you this time!"

The fawn soon escaped out the back door, the soldier in hot pursuit.

My mother and I, who had been preparing lunch in the kitchen, ignored what had become a daily occurrence.

Mom had always been a good cook, and dad maintained that it was her food that won him over. She was so gracious about preparing a meal, that I often became entranced as she hurried between the different tasks, never failing to complete them in perfect precession.

I didn't inherit her skill.

No matter what it was, I always fumbled the pots or whatever else needed to be done. She always said I took after dad more than her, which I suppose was true. As such, she simply handed me a knife, and pointed to the vegetables. At least I felt kind of useful.

"Darl'! We're almost done here!" Mom called out the kitchen window.

Her blonde hair fluttered in the wind. She was a classic country girl, with all the curves and muscle needed to survive out here.

'Out here' being the lonely alpines where our cabin had been built. It was a beautiful spot, stationed close enough to the edge to provide a stunning view of the far-off city, which seemed to be sandwiched between three conflicting biomes. Dad had built it as a place to get away from the world.

Mom began plating up the food. Sloppy Joes. For those who don't know what the name describes, it could quite easily provide the wrong image. Two thick buns, laden with a spiced and flavoured mince that leaks out the sides. They taste pretty good with cheese.

I scooped a small helping of greens onto each dish, and carried them over to the table. I took note of my father's handgun, the holster strewn across his seat. It was a common sight, but for some reason the particular weapon always stood out to me.

"Guns off the table." Mom ordered as her husband stepped through the door.

"It's not on the _table._" He complained, still a little flustered. He moved it to the mantle anyway.

We all gathered, and sat for the meal. Dad said grace, before anxiously picking up his burger. Mom and I followed suit.

"Dad."

"Yeah?" He questioned between bites.

"Can you tell me the story again? About the Colt."

"Again? You must be bored of it by now." He said the words, but his face lit up.

"Please?"

The military man looked over at his gun fondly, and then to his wife, who usually opposed gun talk at meal times. But we both knew that this story was one of her favourites as well. The tale started off as it always did…

"The _Colt 1911,_ a classic seven-in-chamber forty five calibre handgun, one of the best, and by far the most reliable." He paused to take another bite, chewing and swallowing before carrying on. "When I was overseas, on a certain mission to a certain place, I got separated from the team." He said 'certain' because he wasn't allowed to tell us. It added to the mystery. "Those good-for-nothings all thought I was dead! Could you believe it? I was trapped deep underground in this godforsaken labyrinth of a place, with a cheap Chinese rip-off rifle that kept getting jammed. So…"

"You pulled out the Colt." I filled in.

The man smiled. "I pulled out the Colt. And after an entire _two days_ of shooting and scavenging for ammo, I finally found my way out of that hellhole. I was _so_ happy to see they sky. I remember it so clearly. The sun was just rising over the horizon, and the dark night was slowly giving way to the _most beautiful_ aqua. I'll never forget it as long as I live… That's why you got its name." He looked at me appreciatively. "That gun," his eyes snapped to it "has saved me more times than I care to count. I'd be dead without it." The man gazed over at my mother. "Which is why it should be allowed on the table!"

She gave an impressed laugh. "No matter how many times you say it, it ain't happening. It may be your saviour, but I don't wan' it anywhere near my food thank you." Her country accent came more prominently when she was amused.

Dad opened his mouth to protest, but a certain deer call interrupted. Breeze was yipping at something…

"I swear, I'm going to roast that thing someday. What's he complaining…" The sentence trailed off as engine noise rose to our senses.

A familiar engine noise…

Dad's face dropped. He set down his burger, and pushed away from the table. Mom and I looked at each other glumly, and followed him out of the house.

We waited patiently as the camouflaged Humvee rolled into view. Three inside, and one on the roof, the four Special Forces marines looked positively depressed. They all hated this part of the journey. Dad, their captain, was the only one of them that had a family. They always looked guilty when the showed up here…

My father stood rigidly as the truck stopped before him.

The second in command, Dodge, climbed out of the driver's seat. He was clad in full desert camo. I took a guess at where they were bound. Iraq? Egypt? Maybe somewhere in the States…

"Captain, we've got orders." Dodge was always the most formal in the group, and usually got tasked with breaking the news.

My dad nodded. "Give me two." He turned back to the house, and disappeared inside.

Marcus jumped from the roof and started towards me. He had always been a kind man. Big, and tough, but with a soft side. He placed a beefy hand on my head and messed my hair up a little. "Heya Sky."

"Hi Marcus." I smiled, pushing down the feeling of dread in my stomach. I knew it was easier for them if I seemed happy.

The big man paused for a moment, watching me. But he soon whirred back into action. He reached behind to his belt, where he removed a large package… Or, a small one, that had just been excessively wrapped. He handed it over for me to examine. It was long, and roughly clad in what appeared to be an entire roll of wrapping paper. They had probably stopped by at a newsagent to get it.

I let go a small giggle as I thought about the fully armed marines searching through the gift isle. "Can I open it now?"

"Sure can, kid."

I tore into it, fumbling a while as I unwound the paper puzzle. The four soldiers, Marcus, Dodge, Jacko and Sarah, watched on in anticipation. They always got me a gift before they took him away. Last time it was a backpack…

Finally, I tore through the thickest layer. What lay inside was a large, leather sheathed knife, probably the length of my forearm. Removing its cover, I inspected the blade with amazement. It had been sharpened to perfection. "Woah…"

The marines lit up, Jacko and Sarah sharing a subtle fist bump. Sadly, the hype was short-lived, as their captain stepped away from the front porch, tidied up in all his effects. With an assault rifle over his shoulder, and a rack bag on his back, he was set to leave home for however long the world needed him.

He stared into mom's eyes for a few seconds, before pulling her into a tight hug as they began to water. It was my turn next, and it couldn't come slow enough. He kneeled down a little so he could stare me straight at me. "You look after your mother, alright?"

It took all of my effort to hold back the emotions that bubbled within. The corner of my eyes prickled with moister, but I wasn't going to cry, not in front of him. Standing up straight, I ground my teeth to make sure no words slipped out, and nodded.

The man who had watched the internal battle for years, gave a sad smile. "That's my girl." His rough hand clapped my shoulder briefly, before slipping away as he turned. His boots threw small wisps of dust as he strode across the driveway, and saddled himself into the passenger seat. "Let's go, marines."

"Yes, sir!" A unanimous response rang out.

Marcus climbed back onto his perch, jumping the heavy suspension with each step. Dodge gave us one final nod, before placing himself in the driver's seat. And with the roar of an engine, and the clank of shifted gears, the Hummer turned tightly, and carried my father away...

* * *

**Time Leap: Exactly one year later**

* * *

Breeze had gotten bigger, almost up to my waist. Of course, so had I. My hair was longer and darker, my legs were a little lankier, and my thoughts had turned bleak.

My bare feet rested on the bottom step of our front deck, unmoving so as to avoid splinters from the well-used wood. An uneven drizzle of rain had set the sky dark, and only promised to become heavier. It gave the air a smell of anticipation, one that was wasted on me.

"Sky," my mother's half-hearted call had become her only tone of voice.

I turned to find her in the door frame.

Her dulled eyes ran the same path mine had. Down the steps, across the rain speckled driveway, and around the distant bend. But neither of us could hear that engine...

"He's never been away this long. Not once..." I mumbled to myself.

"He'll be back soon."

"But what if-"

"He'll be back." She nodded knowingly, convincing herself. "He'll be back." The doubt in her eyes was the only sane thing there. She was a mess.

I gave my best smile. "You're right. He'll be back."

Her wandering gaze snapped to mine, lighting up. For a split second, her mind was clear as she smiled back to me. But the boisterous storm above did not allow it a moment longer.

Rain hammered down from above.

* * *

**Time Leap: Six months later**

* * *

She had turned into a nervous wreck.

The first year had been tough, but she'd held out. Unfortunately, that was the end of her strength. One whole year without a word from the man she loved. Not knowing if he was trapped, lost, or dead… Of course I understood it. It was the same for me…

But one of us needed to stay upright.

I taught myself how to cook. It was slow going at the start, and my first few dishes were even pushed away by Breeze. But, I eventually got the hang of it. Some ingredients went together, others didn't. Mom ate anything though. Always with a 'thank you'.

They were hollow words.

My daily routine helped to push back any stray thoughts. Wake up, open the windows, put breakfast on, sweep the floors, eat, tend to the garden, put lunch on, feed Breeze, eat, clean the rifles, go for a run, put dinner on, have a shower, eat, put mom to bed, brush my teeth, quick workout to exhaust myself, sleep. I had the events planned down to the minute, with no gaps in between. The floors sparkled and the guns gleamed, which was satisfying…

Mom stayed in bed. And Breeze left early, wandering into the forest, returning for food.

I kept them both comfortable, going about everything with a knife on my belt. I never let go of the damn thing. It was like a curse, the thin leather sheath clinging to me with every step, every sway, every motion. I hated it.

But I couldn't put it down. Not even for a second.

Reality had dawned on me a long time ago… He wasn't coming back.

But the knife was like a promise, and as long as I had it, I could hope a little.

And so I did.

* * *

**Time Leap: Six months later**

* * *

"Go back to bed, Mom."

"I can hear it! This time, this time it's the engine!"

"It's just the wind…"

* * *

**Time Leap: Three weeks later**

* * *

I was dicing carrots when I heard it.

Carrots were the hardest. They liked to roll around and pester you with daring acts of escapism, where they would leap from under the knife and onto the floor. It took me an age to devise an answer to this. Cut the thing along its length, and separate it into two halves. Now you've got one flat side on each piece. Much easier to cut.

Gravel shifted in the distance.

My cooking expertise had expanded over the past few months. I taught myself how to operate Dad's old laptop, and discovered a mass of information on the World Wide Web. Tutorials, videos, books, everything I wanted to know. My home-schooling had ground to a halt over a year ago, and although I hated it back then, now I just felt curious. So I read articles, and watched bald men explain mathematics on a whiteboard. It was interesting, and I could feel myself becoming smarter.

Thundering wheels threw a cloud of dust behind them, finally becoming visible on the unpaved road.

I hadn't been hunting since he left…

Breeze, having returned for lunch, began yipping madly from the porch, which meant I couldn't ignore it anymore. Wiping my knife on the kitchen towel, I slipped it back into its sheath. And strode outside. I waited expectantly on the front steps, the afternoon sun casting an unwelcome gold. It was warm, but my expression was icy. My heart was pounding, but I didn't let it show.

It was a miracle that by the time the engine had softened, and the dust had settled, my mother wasn't tearing the house to shreds in utter misplaced excitement. She was sleeping. Ironic really, how much she had yearned for this sight, and was now missing out on it… Waking her now would just make everything more painful.

Bracing myself, I put on a pleasant expression as Dodge's boots hit the ground. The Hummer was missing two people. Jacko still sat upright, unwilling to lay down in Sarah's spot, despite how weary he looked. And Marcus still perched on the roof, despite the perfectly good passenger seat which now lay unoccupied. Mind you, the vehicle itself had been through the works. Every spare inch of metal was littered with dints and scrapes, and the bulletproof glass had long ago been kicked out.

Dodge stopped a few meters away, sensing the wall that now lay between us. Everything about him screamed uncomfortable and apologetic. "Sky."

I nodded, focusing all my energy on maintaining myself. "Dodge."

He stood upright, preparing himself. "Ma'am, I regret to inform you that while in action, Captain Vale was shot and killed by an enemy of the state."

The words came quicker than I had expected them to. I paused for a moment to ensure they had sunk in. The last tendril of optimism was squashed from the depths of my mind. "I understand." My eyes jumped back to the marine's. "How'd it happen?"

The man shifted, either thrown by my indifference, or the question. "We hit heavy fire while retrieving a target. Your father took multiple high calibre rounds to his torso and legs. Nonetheless, he fought until we made it out alive. The mission was a success, but only because of his sacrifice."

An image of my father, injured, but still standing while he waved the rest of his squad onwards. It made me smile. "He always loved taking the credit."

"Yeah. He did."

It took me a moment to recognise the cool touch of tears, as they folded down my cheeks. I wiped them up with my sleeve. "And Sarah?"

"Taken out while clearing an occupied bunker." The man smirked. "Didn't stop her from lighting a few grenades beforehand."

I was taken by an unsurprised laugh. "Something only she would do." My lips jumped to the next topic, even though I knew where it would lead. "And the target? It was a retrieval mission. So who was it?"

He tensed. "I'm afraid that's classified."

"Who the _fuck_ was it!?" I clapped my hands over my mouth, the pleasant façade shattered in an instant. A sickness began to spread throughout my insides, staining it all black. Guilt and anxiety swelled like a king tide, throbbing in my gut.

My throat was sticky as I panicked to swallow the emotions. If I let them out, I didn't know what would happen…

Minutes ticked by before I could right myself. I felt my gaze turn steely.

Dodge, who had remained on his side of the wall, examined me closely. The action eventuated in a slow movement, as he took something from his belt.

The polished hilt shown in the sunlight, gleaming despite the mood. How inconsiderate…

Dodge held the thing out to me, the leather holster grasped firmly between his fingers. "He wanted you to have this."

For a moment, I didn't move as I regarded the thing with mild disgust. But, without tearing my eyes from it, I stepped tentatively. "What about his body?"

"We weren't able to recover it."

My pace fell to a stop as I reached the offering. Hesitantly, I took it in hand, watching the metal slip from its casing. "So this is all that's left…"

The soldier said nothing.

I held the weapon up. "The _Colt 1911,_ a classic seven-in-chamber forty five calibre handgun, one of the best, and by far the most reliable…" I mimicked, copying _his_ tone. It seemed to flash at the mention of its name.

It sheathed roughly, and I took the covered thing in my hand, still debating if it was welcome or not. _You didn't save him this time…_

"Sky, if there's anything you need…"

_Oh really? Anything? How about my father, you piece of shit._

I returned my gaze to the man before me. The man, not the soldier. He stood unevenly, and it looked unnatural. My head shook in a slow, rhythmic pattern. "We'll be fine. He's been dead for a while."

The last sentence turned Dodge's face a little sour. I could see the thought ticking over in his brain, whirring through the undeniable process. My blank stare connected with his in confirmation. I wasn't the cute little girl he knew, not anymore. She had died with my father.

Maybe I had been holding it back until now, but it was as if I had fractured that thin façade.

I felt _angry._

_"Goodbye,_ Dodge." I spun tightly, and walked across the dirt, up the steps, and inside. The door slammed behind me. It was only once I was inside, with my back pressed firmly against the wood, that I realised I hadn't said a word to Jacko or Marcus.

Through my fury, a little bit of me wondered if they were okay, and if I'd ever see them again…

The Hummer roared to life, and each shift in the gears screamed at me to run outside, and apologise, to tell them everything I felt, and ask them to stay.

But I didn't.

And after a short spray of gravel, and an echo of fading noise, the mountainside was quiet once more.

The only thing that had changed, was I now clutched a gun to my chest.

I placed it delicately on the dining room table, and after a brief pause, returned to my carrots. Cut the length, dice them up. Cut the length, dice them up. Cut the length…

It was an hour before dinner was ready. Day had turned to dusk, and dusk had turned to night. It was always cold up here, but this evening was especially so. The vegetable soup was murky, and carried with it an uncertain aftertaste. Breeze was nowhere to be found.

"Mom. Dinner." I called into the unlit portion of our now too-large house.

She emerged minutes later. Her unwashed blonde hair had darkened considerably, and her face was taunted by miscellaneous wrinkles. Everything about her was untidy, except her nails. Some sane part of her still groomed them to perfection, even adding a new coat of gloss every morning. I had never questioned it.

Her eyes caught on the handgun like a sniffer dog catches drugs. I hadn't seen her smile like that in months, eyes lit with excitement.

I returned my soup spoon to its bowl with a tiny _clank._ "He's dead."

I dared not look up at her, until I heard the tell-tale clatter of a gun being moved. My head snapped towards my mother, my thoughts spinning in a thousand different ways. But she was holding it away from her, still holstered. Smile still present, tears rolling in gentle cascades down her cheeks, hesitant and slow.

"…Mom?"

She took a step back, and turned towards her room, pausing only momentarily. "No guns on the table."

It was the most logical thing she had said over the past year. An odd pang of familiarity accompanied the line, and it took me off guard. I gave her a slight nod. "Okay."

She nodded back, maintaining eye contact with the over polished floorboards as she wandered off.

I was surprised. Perhaps some streak of sanity had survived the ordeal… Maybe she would recover. It would take a while, but maybe she would come back to her senses. Although, I doubted she would ever relieve the grief. She was just that type of pers-

My whole body quaked as a single gunshot hammered the air.

A silent moment passed, before a heavy _thud_ bounded from the next room.

The air was still.

I took another spoonful of soup.

* * *

**Author Note:**

...There's still a lot of unanswered questions about Sky's character. I don't know the answers to them all myself. Sometimes I fell like I'm just writing fanfiction of my own fanfiction... Oh well, I'll let you guys speculate on the rest of it, for now. She's certainly changed a lot after this point... Like Raven did. Maybe their backstories just aren't finished? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

SO YES, _**WE SWITCHED TO A FIRST TEN REVIEWS SYSTEM!**_ For those of you who weren't paying attention last time. To be honest, I expected you guys to be more pissed about it than you were. One or two of you expressed distaste, but overall, the consensus was pretty positive. So, thanks. It makes my job a lot easier. :)

Still, reviews that didn't make the top ten _might_ be answered depending on whether A) There's a question or statement that needs answering. B) IT ACTUALLY HAS A SUGGESTION ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE MY WRITING/STORYTELLING, including constructive criticism. C) You say something insanely funny. D) I have spare time. E) You're new to the Donut Brigade. F) I feel like doing it.

Now, with that done and dusted...

Reviews!

**Funniest Review: derpysauce**

"Dodgy as scientology? I'll have you know I graduated at the top of my class at "being a brainless follower" university with top marks in the course "how to be a slave" 101 and with that in mind I can guarantee scientology is gr8. I must admit the David and Felix thing feels strange. Like come on David you are a rippled stud and Felix is a black and white cat from a comic strip in 1923. You could beat that pussy for her pussy any day ;) Mmm love me some delaying your next chapter... huh what your still here keep moving trust me there is nothing else here... Please don't leave me again ;-;"

Oh my, we have fallen so far for my humor to be impressed by Scientology memes and sexual innuendos. One could say my comedy tastes have turned a little... _stiff._ ;) *dies of embarrassment* BY GOD, WHAT ARE YOU MAKING ME SAY!?

**First Ten:**

**1) The Doctor:** Thanks man, I appreciate your support. And hey, congrats on first place. :)  
**2) zedproskater:** Heyooooo, number two huh? Nice. Hope the update time was a little better this time, sorry about my usual absences, I'll try and pick it back up. Ooooooo, an interview question! I love interview questions! "how did u get so good and what made u become a fanfic writer. :3" Well, I spent a year in the pacific islands, where the internet was equivalent to shit all. I had an iPad with Notes, and that was pretty much it. So I wrote, essentially nonstop, aged a year, and came back to civilization, where I just continued to evolve the skill. I'm still trying to do that. As for "what made u become a fanfic writer." I was heavily inspired by a story (now missing from the face of the Earth) called _Cupa._ I loved it. And one of my friends just happened to mention they once wrote a Minecraft fanfiction, so I was like "Hell, why the fuck not?" And here we are, 36 chapters, 602 reviews, and 228 favorites later. :)  
**3) rrmurphy0:** Rocky! Hey, I remember your username showing up. :) Compliments galore! *Searches up cromeanxiety* Woah, he looks pretty cool, I'm gonna have to read his stuff now. Thanks for introducing me. Still, super glad you're enjoying it so much. Hope this chapter expressed something new as well. Stay tuned. :D  
**4) derpysauce:** /\/\/\ Funny as always my friend. :J  
**5) Fleefmuister:** I spent half an hour reading SURVIVE, so I'm going to cut this a little short, hope you don't mind. ':P But that aside, it looks as if life has been handing you diamonds, other people get lemons, but no, you my friend, are a fucking legend. I mean AP Calculus? A new novel? Credit advancement at 90 marks!? FIFTH BASE!? ONE PUNCHING A FUCKING DRAGON!? _IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CANNOT DO!?_ You sir, are someone I admire. Take care, and be confident in your ass kicking ability. :) Oh also, UncleInTheAttic says "I already took AP Calc as a sophomore. :P" I AM NOT A MESSENGER PIGEON!  
**6) Ghfux:** Oh, well, if I can't kill her, can I chop off one of her limbs? Nothing says dramatic like limbs. Not sure on the DavidXSky ship, I feel like she just doesn't match that, although, there's a lot I don't know about her apparently. I guess we'll see where it goes. :3 And don't tell anyone else because they'll kill me... But I love awful endings too... Shhhhhhhhh... Muha, muhahahaha... ha. Stay super sappy somewhat sadistically slick Steve!  
**7) UncleInTheAttic (Birthday Bro):** HAPPY BIRTHDAY! NOW GO BACK AND READ THE CHAPTER FIRST. In this case, you should open your present before you read the card. I hope I'm not too late! You live in America, so I'm posting on the 18th here to match you, because you've just got to make things difficult. :P So, so, so, what'd you get! Cooooool stuff and not socks I hope, (although socks can be cool too.) Ahem, now, I shall answer your review, but make sure you tell me all about your day, 'kay? (I'm never saying 'kay again. That was a special one time service.) Well done on making it to seventh place! I have a feeling there won't be trouble getting you into the leader boards since you practically pounce on updates. AND BEFORE YOU MENTION IT, NO, I DIDN'T NAME THE SARAH IN THIS CHAPTER AFTER MYSELF (or the name you've decided for me anyway,) it was just a... convenient coincidence. Hahaha, don't worry too much about your quiz results, it's not like I told the entire Donut Brigade about it in the top author note. ...Oh wait. Ahem, yes... I'm not sure what I was thinking with Mineking's review... that did not suit me at all... You have an internal picture of me? I mean, of course you do. Woah, woah, between Key and Amber, and the cover photo!? I'm a super model! Hahaha, well if we ever run into each other, you are going to be _super_ disappointed with expectations like that. Still... I'm flattered. Thank you. :) In my mind, you have a beard, and wear a beanie. ...I'm not sure why. Felix and Amber... *Hurls* Reeeeeallly? Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmphhhhhhhhh. AND WAIT, WEREN'T YOU AN AMBER FAN FOR A WHILE!? WHERE DID THIS KAVID SHIT COME FORM!? Or am I just going batshit insane. Oh hey look, Sky talked again. Updates are first written by the way. Glad you thought the last chapter was good, I was hoping the writing style was okay. It was actually the first time I tried to express those types of emotions through any characters. Dude, It'd be awesome to meet! But... I'd be nervous as hell, and I'd make it awkward as hell, and what if you get catfished? I could be an eighty year old grown man going through a late-life crisis. :'D ... Or _you_ could be a eighty year old man... HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. That would explain why you're bad at quizzes. :P Still, if I do end up appearing stateside, that'd be rad. :) ...I've never had frozen custard before. Now look what you've made me do, that's like a good 400 words of response right there... *Siiiiiiiigh* Hahah, happy birthday brother. Take care. :)  
**8) Chase1998:** If you sound like a robot, you're probably R2D2, because you're the most lovable robot alive. Even if you do say it on repeat, it's _always_ appreciated. You're a legend, and to be honest, your review took away a lot of stress. So thank you. Take care Chase. :)  
**9) Mineking57:** YES SHE CAN. Or she could... Or she might be able to... Who knows? And ahahahahaaahaaaaaaa... Yeah, I'm so sorry about that, I was severely embarrassed for about an hour after posting. I half promise not to do anything like that to you ever again. Congrats on finishing your exams! How'd you do? *Shifts through Endergirl archives to find old review where you answered quiz questions* Let's see... Number 3) Your answer: "Isaac Gilan." Although partially correct, Isaac actually first introduced himself sarcastically as "Herobrine." I could have given you half a point, but I was feeling extra harsh. :P Question 6, no answer. Question 8, no answer. Question 10) You said: "1B" Close, but Zoe's class is actually 1C. Despite that, **I'm pretty sure you scored highest in the quiz out of everyone,** unless I missed/forgot someone else. Well done!  
**10) AwesomeCoolGuy5 (He's awesome and cool):**_ Because you might HDM-Die! ...I'm sorry. Oh god, not 127 Hours! Still, glad you enjoyed it. Amputations huh? Now that's_ an interesting idea... Let me know what you thought, and stay rad. :D

Daaaaaaaaamn, Shine and PBJ _just_ missed the mark, followed by backlasheaton and welcometodalolz! Sorry guys, you'll have to get to it quicker next time! :)

**Extra Reviews:**

**StubTailDstroyer (Because he's been away for ages and I want to say a quick hello):** AHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhyyyyyyyyy! I missed you! And Fluffy, where is she? I won't talk for long because that'd be a little unfair to everyone else that missed out this chapter, but it's really good to hear from you! Trailridge Trail in the Rocky Mountains? Added to the list. Thanks. :)  
**TheKillerProductionz:** Thanks for the review, and welcome to the Donut Brigade!  
**Carter2083:** This is probably the nicest review I've read in a while. Honestly, it's so great to hear that I've actually _inspired_ someone, so thank you, for letting me know. And thank you for reading and supporting, I appreciate it a lot. I'll see what I can do about David and Key huh? :P But hey, "No one can tell your story but yourself. No one can write your story so write it yourself." Those are wise words. Make sure you follow them too, and don't give up. Writing is a skill that takes time to polish. Just keep writing for yourself, and the talent will follow. Take care, and welcome to the Donut Brigade! :)  
**jedi3579:** Glad you're enjoying it! And if I haven't said it already, welcome to the Donut Brigade!  
**Ender (Because we were talking about romance):** Close? That's really cute... I'm jealous. How are you guys doing now? I hope it's going well. :)  
**James:** If you pay me, I will release a chapter ever two days. :'D I'm so broke. Welcome to the Donut Brigade man.  
**timmbob:** **NOW HOLDS THE RECORD FOR MOST CHAPTERS READ IN A DAY!** Nice. :D

And that will do, as far as that goes. Okay, that was a little more manageable. Sorry about everyone who got cut, and if I missed any new people, forgive me. You'll all just have to read faster next time. May the best reader win! Alternatively, you can try to fit any of the criteria mentioned above. It's more likely I'll respond to shorter reviews in that case though, just a heads up. :) Also, it was someone's idea to put all usernames in bold as well as underlined (I forget who, I'm sorry.) Thoughts?

Still, happy birthday to UncleInTheAttic, and I'll see you all in chapter 37. A way-full word of warning though... Beware the Atlantic salmon, and all its hidden powers.

Ciao. :)

\- Sylent


	37. What did I tell you not to do?

**Author Note:**

_Hellllloooooooooo, is it meee you're loooking fooooorrrrr?_

No, as many of you have messaged me to ask, I am not dead. Yet. I did complete term three though, which is kind of similar. Still, it's been too long, and for that I apologize. I did, however, submit applications for universities, and raise my GPA to a 12.4 (B+), which is good. (Trying to get it to a 12.5 before (A-) before I graduate.) That's right, academic excellence is only a decimal point away! Oh, and I became basketball captain.

Anyway, I've decided to go for the double degree of: Bachelor of Games and Interactivity / Bachelor of Computer Science, at Swinburne University. Woah, that information might give away my country of origin! Meh, you should've figured it out by now anyway. Still, it means I have to move states, so that'll be fun... Gonna have a gap year though.

_Oh, I'm also looking for computer parts. So if you've got anything moderately good laying around that you don't want... _*Raises hand from back row*

Order up!

Starting Perspective: David

* * *

**What did I _specifically_ tell you _not_ to do?**

Sky winced as the gravel underfoot gave way, and my full weight descended on her supportive shoulders.

I struggled haphazardly to regain my footing, but it was a panicked moment before I could steady myself. Somehow, she held me upright. Our breath became laboured after the sudden burst of adrenaline.

She separated from me, and sat down, barely noticing the uncomfortable surface below.

"Yeah, time for a break." I agreed.

We had been shuffling along for the better part of an hour, and Sky's lighter was beginning to acknowledge the tell-tale flickers of inevitable darkness. If we didn't find a way out soon, we would be lost amongst the stone forever.

How melodramatic.

The light dropped away as I settled myself amongst the dust. We were left in suffocating darkness once again…

I could hear her steadying exhales next to me, becoming more relaxed with each passing minute. Despite her oddities, she really was human, like the rest of us. Well… like most of us. Half of us?

I began to realise just how many hybrids we had been dragging around. I guess they were pretty much human anyway… What was the difference? Sure, they had powers and stunning genetics, but their emotions, and the way they thought, there was nothing foreign about that.

Was there?

My mouth began to move as I dragged myself away from the topic. "Do you have anyone back on Earth?"

Her breath paused.

"I mean family, and friends, and stuff."

Hesitation hung in the air.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to pry. I just thoug-"

Tap. Tap. No… she doesn't.

"… What happened to them?"

The moment stretched on for what seemed like an eternity. Just as I was about to abandon the question, I heard her shift slightly, and an uncertain touch took my hand. Her skin was cool, and her movements slow, as she shifted my palm towards her.

My fingers grazed the freezing hilt of her handgun, which lay tethered to her thigh. Understanding dawned on my confused mind, and I retracted from the silent communication.

Whether she had pulled the trigger, or someone else, I dared not ask. The only certainty was that they were dead, and it was that singular piece of weaponry which left them that way.

"You spoke. After we fell."

Silence.

"You sai-"

The lighter flicked sharply through the darkness, blinding me with surprise. A dim flame adjusted into my vision, lighting her face with angular shadows. It was a reserved smile that ended the conversation.

She didn't want to talk about it.

With a slow start, the girl swung to her feet, pausing for a moment at the height of the action.

Maybe I had pushed her too far…

A painful minuet ticked by before I was propped securely around her shoulder. Turquoise hair brushed against my jaw, providing a tickling sensation that encouraged me to readjust. But before long, we were on our way again, following a never-ending tunnel towards god knows where.

"Sorry…" I mumbled.

She looked up at me from the corner of her eye. And oddly, separated her lips, as if to say something… They closed again, after a moment. Her gaze returned to the ground. "Mm," the hum of confirmation rang lightly from her vocal cords. It wasn't a word, but it was better than the deafening silence that chased her around…

* * *

**Perspective Change: Amber**

* * *

"We should go back and look for them," I suggested for the millionth time.

Raven, Isaac and Zoe groaned in annoyance.

The redhead didn't look back as she spoke. "Would you give it a rest? They'll be fine."

There was a hesitation in my mind, at the very back. Some sense of déjà vu, or trepidation… "No, something doesn't feel right. What if they're hurt?"

"David said they were fine! Do you think he'd lie to you of all people?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" A pang of annoyance swelled within me.

The axe wielder muttered curses under her breath.

"Let's just chill, alright? We've got other things to focus on." Isaac, for once, was playing it level headed. It was agitating. "Zoe, how far off are we?"

The spider, who was leading the caravan of six, spoke softly. "Half a day. But…" her eyes skirted backwards, searching the darkness behind me, "we're being followed."

We traced her gaze, but saw nothing in the void. I found comfort in clutching my bow a little tighter…

"M- Maybe these caves were a bad idea after all…" Felix stammered.

Raven whirled in a fit of anger. "Quit being such pussies! You're all just fucking losing it because David went and ditched us!"

"Rave-" Isaac placed a hand in front of her, only to have it hammered away.

I felt the fires of rage building inside me. "He didn't _ditch_ us, we got fucking _separated._ And Felix is right, this was a bad idea to begin with."

Zoe pulled Key away from the brewing conflict, standing to the side as the Redhead attempted to stare me down, searching for a flaw to exploit.

"G- G- Girls, please, you shouldn't figh-"

"Shut the fuck up, Felix!" We both shouted over him simultaneously.

The human jabbed a finger at me. "I'm getting so sick of your indecisive bullshit!"

"Indecisive?"

"David! Do you fucking like him or not!? Because if you don't, quit hanging off his every move. But if you do, don't go and break his fucking heart by doing stupid shit like this!" She splayed a hand at Felix, who jumped back in fright.

The anger fleeted out of me, escaping like air from a balloon. Confusion and anxiety rushed in to take its place. "W- What?"

The spike in tension flat lined at high levels. It could have been cut with the IQ of a dropout, as the group hung on Raven's words.

"I… don't kno-"

"Is that the truth?" Her gaze was steely.

Why did this matter so much to her? What was her objective here? Her bitter expression reflected nothing but frustration. Pained, exhausted, frustration… The shadows behind her husky blues reflected the tiresome vendetta that raged inside her mind. She was sick of battling it.

A stark frown tugged at my lips. "I could ask you the same thing."

She twitched.

I could feel my eyes darken a shade. "Do you, like David, or not?" The sentence drew out as I played with it.

Isaac followed the question to Raven, amused at the thought, and unsuspecting. His features dampened as the redhead failed to respond. She was dead silent, and her eyes glanced upwards, catching the Creeper's examination. It was too late…

He had found her answer.

"Isaac, c'mon, don't liste-" She moved to catch his forearm.

"SSSssss!" His skin paled as he darted back from her touch.

Terror careened through my mind as the iconic sound echoed through the cavern. I saw Raven duck away, throwing herself to the ground. A distinctive _pop_ rang out as Zoe and Key disappeared. Noticing the idiot, I tackled Felix to the ground and curled up as tight as I could. We were ready for an explosion…

It never came.

Seconds ticked by, and then minutes. When we dared to look, and rise from our shelters, we met a familiar, amused expression. He leant against the rock, watching us from on high, with a simple, isolated smugness about him.

"I- Isaac?" Raven ventured.

He looked down at her, and smirked. His deep eyes turned to the roof, our would have been tomb. "It's alright… I get it." He sighed. "You do too, Amber."

A small part of me acknowledged him, the majority wanted to sew his mouth shut. But, not saying it aloud, wouldn't make it any less true.

"We're monsters," he explained, "we've got no place in the hearts of humans."

"That's not…" Raven struggled, "that's not true…"

It was a hollow argument.

A hesitant pop restored the guide and her companion to the collection. Taking it as a que, the Creeper gave a final sigh, and set himself behind the Endergirl. "Let's go."

Downcast, I, the Skeleton, followed.

And the humans tagged far behind…

* * *

**Perspective Change: The Unnamed Servant**

* * *

This wasn't good.

This wasn't good at all. They were fighting, David and Sky had gotten separated from the group, and worse yet, it seemed like the two were getting closer. The group _can't_ be separated. It defeats the entire purpose of having a _group._

And David _can't_ get any closer to Sky…

Yes, that would be bad.

The plan had been so clear without all these unexpected variables. _She_ never mentioned anything about the sniper, or this stupid turn of events. Did she expect me to fix it? Or should I leave it be?

My brain spun in circles.

The broad oak doors of the surveillance room swung open with a howling whine. It had been some time since I oiled the hinges. But all the rust in the world would not halt the overpowering presence of evil which now descended upon me.

"So, have you decided between drowning in hot magma, or falling into the void?" The blonde demon sentenced, having finally returned. She had been making amends with Notch and sorting out Leo for an entire Earth day. She was in no mood for mercy.

I swallowed, but kept my eyes on the observation pool. "We can talk about that later, we've got a problem."

She sighed and strut next to me on long legs. "When don't we?"

"Yeah, except there's nothing in the plans to deal with this."

"They're fighting again?" An agitated tsk escaped her. "Just put them in danger, what's his face-"

"Isaac,"

"Right, Isaac will always save the bitchy one-"

"Raven,"

"Indeed. He'll always save Raven, and Raven will always fall for it. She's addicted to the strong type, after all."

"Okay," I mumbled, making a mental note, "there's a more pressing issue though. Amber is finding reasons to leave David."

The woman groaned. "I didn't sign up for this matchmaker bullshit. You sort it out."

"Hard to do if I'm drowning in hot magma…" I spoke, hesitant to revive the subject.

My eyes were captured by an icy glare. "Don't screw up again."

"Yes, ma'am." Relief was relieving, but my mind soon spun around possibilities. How would I save their relationship? My concentration broke as the woman next to me fiddled with her ring finger. "It's your anniversary today!"

She winced. "Yes. Thank you for reminding me."

I pretended to be happy, even when we both knew neither of us were… "Is he coming?"

With a shaking exhale, the demon steadied herself, and whipped towards the exit. "I suppose we'll find out. One way or another…"

* * *

**Perspective Change: David**

* * *

We peaked around the corner like a pair of children, searching for signs of danger. It had been a while back when we noticed a dull glow originating from up ahead. Noises of echoing picks and explosions had once again become common place in our ears, and voices now took up residence among them.

We had circled back towards the miners, or found another operation. Regardless, it was still unknown how they would react to our presence.

"We should try to avoid being seen, if possible." I whispered covertly.

Before us stretched a long, and somewhat hazardously built boardwalk. It extended from our familiar tunnel, and stretched out above a stranger canyon. From the game, I vaguely understood what we were walking into. But village miners? It was an unknown.

Sky nodded, and once more we scanned the area.

"Well…" I gave her a wry smile, "don't drop me."

With a smirk, she righted us up, and began our slow shuffle onwards.

The irregular breeze hit us within the first step, and the fragile beams creaked beneath our weight. Sky struggled to hold me upright. Only after the terrifying moment had passed could we acknowledge the awesome sight which transpired far below.

For kilometres upon kilometres in either direction, stretched hundreds of torches and lanterns. Dust smothered villagers, men and women, hurried between their formations with crates of rock, dynamite, gems, and tools, focused entirely on the task at hand. Guards stood as sentinels atop of strategically carved outcrops, scanning the darkness for signs of movement. And above it all ran wooden pathways, some supporting railways, and some passing people between various tunnels and shafts.

The sheer mass of it all was impressive beyond belief.

As was the drop… Certain death awaited us on either side, no questions asked.

"Y- You're not scared of heights or anything, right?" I was trying to distract myself with conversation.

Unfortunately, my companion wasn't much of a conversationalist. She stepped forwards, the boardwalk shaking with every tiny movement.

The sweat of anxiety took my brow, as we wobbled across the precarious pathway. I hopped awkwardly on one foot, as I had been for the previous leg of the journey.

I tensed as something snagged around my ankle. Sky sensed the miniscule tug as well, and stopped as we both lowered our gaze in hopeful disregard.

A rope.

It had somehow managed to loop itself around my shoe. In cautious disbelief, I traced the thing back to its origins, which lay a few meters back. Its beige material had camouflaged itself amongst the wood, making it near impossible to spot against the blinding light that came from below. It crept around in a messy spool before lazily riding upwards to an iron pulley, hammered into the stone above. The long cable wrapped around its wheel, and dropped down to the foray beneath us.

I swallowed.

But it's fine, right? We'll just back up a bit, let the noose detach itself, and then we can head on our way. It wasn't that badly tangled after all…

Unfortunately, I hadn't yet externalised these thoughts, and no sooner had I decided to do so, that Sky finalized her own plans. Without a care in the world, the girl detached herself from my shoulder, and crouched down to release my captive footing.

With my crutch gone AWOL, I swayed like a drunken middle aged man in a leotard, at the brittle edge of a mind-numbing drop. "Sky!"

The blue haired girl looked up from a job half done. It took a moment for my flailing limbs to register as a problem, but her eyes eventually widened in recognition. She stood up to help me.

_Unfortunately,_ as she stood up to help me, my off-balance posture was sent reeling by her stance. She bumped straight into me, prompting a betrayed looked of terror that could only be likened to that of a dropped baby.

With a twirl, and a slip, I fell _backwards._

The wind whistled in my ears.

* * *

**Author Note:**

"Don't drop me."

*Drops*

JUST LIKE MY ACCOUNT BALANCE. *Pitiful sobs*

Anyway, I'm kind of out of it tonight, so I might do the reviews tomorrow. It's the first day of school, after our two week holiday from term three. Which makes it the perfect time to do entirely unrelated stuff in class~

Why do I need to build a high spec computer at minimal costs? I need to properly teach myself Unity over the next year, and I just don't have the hardware for it at the moment. So if anyone has any good ideas, or gear, hit me up. xxxxxxxooooooooxxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxxoxoxoxxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxox

Some of you still think I'm a guy, so I probably shouldn't do the xoxoxo thing. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, tired. G'night.

_Dadadooladoo dadadooladoo!_

And I'm back, in physics...

Reviews!

**FUNNIEST REVIEW: The D0ctor**

_"Shit this was deep. Like almost as deep as their graves. Ouch."_

Let's not turn this into a batman meme.

**1)**** Shine Archetype:** *Miniature violins* Well, let's hope your investment doesn't go bankrupt. It seems like the interest rate is high, after all. ...Ba dum cha. Asssssssia? You must be back at school by now, for sure. How's it going? I would continue the song, but I fear the quality has already descended too far into the red zone... Best just... leave it, where it is... dead. :P  
**2)**** UncleInTheAttic:** Glad you liked your present. And hey, being lazy for an entire day is perfectly fine, isn't that what weekends and holiday are for anyway? You deserve to relax. Wisconsin huh? Never been there, but I've heard great things. How was it? Whaaaaaat? _You're five hundred years old? _(That's what I'm choosing to take from everything you said) Wow, that's hella weird man, are you in an old persons home? Moving on, I'm really the only non-Pokemon writer you read? That's kind of impressive actually. Thank you for branching away from your favorite genera. As for your pitiful Amber X Felix support... I guess we'll just wait and see what happens there. *Mutters under breath* _Someone's gotta die soon anyway..._ I don't know why I'm writing weird shit from my perspective, I really ought to learn my lesson, its unbefitting. I'll try to avoid sexual writing that doesn't fit into the story from now on. CHARACTERS WILL DIE WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. MUHAHAHAHAHAHA. Still, that's some intuition you've got there. Future fortune teller? And thank you for the review to the actual story. I appreciate that you've cleared up some doubt in my mind. Yeah, I can still see some awkwardness, but I guess that's just how things go when you're writing something foreign. I'll try to refine it. As for your _enormous_ beard, I haven't the faintest idea. But since you've told me you don't have one, you now look like a pubescent Eminem with a beanie. :'D ...Don't question the salmon. Let the salmon question you... Your expectations of me aren't high? *Sob* Do I look ugly? *Sob* Low self esteem kills. *Sob* Sí, lo sé español :P  
**3)**** DualDragonJ:** Glad you enjoyed Sky's background. I was trying to develop some more of her character, and what lead to she is now, and it seemed like it worked in your eyes. Thanks. :) As for the gun descriptions, one of my strong points is researching. I guess I can thank my schooling for that. A lot of details in all of my stories, cars, guns, ammo, speeds, languages. I look carefully through details to make sure I have it right, even if I don't know much about the subject to begin with. It just helps if the character knows exactly what they're talking about, which means _I_ have to know exactly what I'm talking about. Good question. I am very honored to be your favorite author, as always. :) Hey, your reviews are interesting, you've got fun questions. Favorite game? That's a difficult one... Hmmmmm, Portal 2? Or Halo Reach? Or Stray Cat Crossing? Ehhhhhhh... It's gotta be Borderlands 2. I just love the art and the humor, it's a brilliant game. :D Thanks for your continuous support, storystalker-san, DualDragon. :P  
**4) Waddleloo: ***Touches nipples tentatively* "S- Sebastian?" Hahaha, thanks for your support man, if you keep reading, I'll keep updating! :D  
**5)**** zedproskater:** I have a Playstation 2, XBox 360, and an XBox One. *On the down-low* We also have a Wii, but we try to ignore it. :P  
**6)**** welcometodalolz:** Glad I could incite depression, I guess. ':D  
**7) MattyJones:** Glad you enjoyed it. I'll try to drop a few similar chapters in the future. :)  
**8)** **Ghfux:** Hahaha, yes, the sword thingy was this fanfic, I probably need to do some backstory on that. So, guess who gets backstory next! Yeah, I can see David and Sky getting closer, but I think it could be nice for him just to have a friend (that's a girl) who doesn't feel like getting in. I dunno, what do you think? But overall, yeah, the chapter did feel a little off to me, I dunno... Pegboard nerds are awesome though, I quite like them. Stay Stupendous, Supper Sappy Somewhat Sadistic Sounding Supremely Substantial Slick Steve!  
**9) fordkdn:** Next chapter's here bro.  
**10) backlasheaton:** Hahahahahahaha, soooorrrryyyyyy. Yeah, that was pretty depressing, and this chapter was... well, a little depressing too. BUT, at least someone fell off a bridge, so that's fun, right, riiight? Thanks for reading Harry, maybe I'll come to England sometime. :P

**EXTRA REVIEWS:**

**Luv ur**** writing:** Thank you. I will most definitely look into uploading that novella... Actually, I think I'll do so after I'm done here. :)  
**Endrawr/EiSRif/Ender:** Dude, bruh, Skype me. I'm really shit at responding though, but it's more regular than PMs. Just add _sylentdoom_, you're looking for the one who's bio says "Licensed Spaceship Captain." And you're right! It was you that thought of the bold reviewer names. Sorry 'bout that, I totally blanked. ':D Sick aliases though, maybe I should come up with one... Hmmmmmm...  
**derpysauce:** Yeeeeeeeah, I actually wholeheartedly agree with you on this one... It wasn't original, at all... Damn. Like, it didn't even occur to me when I was writing it. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. THANK YOU. YOU HAVE TAUGHT ME A VALUABLE LESSON. I WILL ENDEAVOR TO THINK THINGS THROUGH MORE IN THE FUTURE. Seriously, thanks for speaking your mind. :D Exploding deer huh... Heheheh.  
**Araulen:** Welcome to the Donut Brigade! Really glad you're enjoying the story so much, and I'm super relieved to hear that I've actually made an improvement over these last thirty six chapters. And you're definitely right about the focus being more on the characters, rather than Minecraft itself. For some reason, I hadn't really made that connection myself, so thanks for pointing it out. :) SAO! Yeah, I can agree with not enjoying the Alfheim arc too much, it was really long and tedious, BUT I LOVED SEASON TWO. Probably just because I prefer ranged characters and Sinon was super badass and not one-dimensional like _allll_ of the other characters. I did attempt Log Horizon at one stage, but I kind of dropped it because of how slow it moved. Maybe I'll try again after that recommendation. Thanks for sharing. :) P.S. I'd recommend _Kono Subarashii Sekai Ni Shukufuku wo!_ I just finished watching it and it was _hilarious_ the entire way through. Kind of similar to SAO and Log Horizon - an otaku dies and gets transferred to a high fantasy RPG world. Check it out if you're interested. :)  
** .dawnstar:** Yay! A reviewer that won't leave reviews often! Hahaha, glad you're enjoying it. Welcome to the Donut Brigade. :D  
**Darkfire2000:** Right on the money.  
**PBJFanFiction:** I feel really guilty for not responding to two reviews, but I don't have an internet connection right now, so I can't get to your previous one as you instructed. ':D You can hit me up on Skype though, check Endrawr/EiSRif/Ender's review response. /\/\/\  
**cloudscenexd:** "the gud english" :'D OH,OH,OH I need that OC, I keep forgetting to ask you! I'll message you on Skype when I get home. You know, the one you told me about ages ago. Crap, what was her name... The knight one, with the shield and the kindness! *on the down low* _I need it for the next chapter._ ...And no ships for Sky. Sink the ships.  
**AnotherGuest:** Yep, waaaaay late on the Unnnamed Servent OC request. Nice character though. I'm gonna print it off and pin it on my cork board for future use. :P Thanks. :)  
**DGenerationXXL****:** Wooooooot! You may call me... IDOL-SAN! No, don't. I'm sorry, ignore me. *Hazes over everything else as I catch sight of the word "spin-off"* PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE WRITE A SPIN-OFF. I LOVE SPIN-OFFS MORE THAN FAN ART (Don't tell the artists that though) Hahaha, sorry, it's been a while since I've gotten such a great review. Honestly, this is a _really_ good review and I _loved_ hearing about how you managed to grow a liking for Amber, even though you were a Key fan to begin with. That's really encouraging as the writer, because that's the type of internal conflict I'm aiming for. But, I do need to write more Key, she hasn't been prominent enough in the latest chapters. Sorry the story hasn't been going along a happier course, I just feel, being the amateur I am, that it's easier to create better characters through conflict. If you have a lot of depressing, harsh and fearful stuff going on, then the occasional happy stuff becomes more valuable. One of my all time favorite parts in the story, is when Raven returns home, and David is thinking about it in the classroom. Amber comes in and begins talking to him. It's a small conversation, but it's one of my favorites because it's like a calm in the unrelenting storm. Anyway, I'm going off on a tangent... You're writing a story? *Interest piques* I'll have to check your profile when I get a wireless connection again. Looking forward to it! :) And yes, you definitely chose the right option between review and PM. My PM inbox is clogged at 100+ messages now I think, so reviews are always better. ':3 Alright, I better stop writing before the others get jealous. So, again, thank you for reviewing, it was a great review. And welcome, to the Donut Brigade. :)  
**Alfa:** TIED FOR MOST CHAPTERS READ IN A DAY. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHahahahahahahahahahahahaha you have the worst luck ever.  
**Bacon eater:** TIED FOR MOST CHAPTERS READ IN A DAY. Welcome to the Donut Brigade. Alfa has been trying to get this award for ages, but keeps tying with people. Good job. :D  
**TheKillerProductionz:** TIED FOR MOST CHAPTERS READ IN A DAY. ;)  
**TichePotato:** JUST POST IT CHAPTER BY CHAPTER. IT'S SO MUCH EASIER TO MOTIVATE YOURSELF WHEN YOU'VE GOT FANS AWAITING YOUR UPDATES!

* * *

OKAY, THAT'S ENOUGH OF THAT.

I pretty much just ended up answering almost everybody... But there were at least another twenty left, and I'm doing volunteer work right now so I should be paying attention. BUT, you guys should read derpysauce's review. That type of review is one way to help me improve. I'm not saying that I don't love getting all your mind-blowing and spectacular positive comments. But if there's something you don't like about the chapter, SAY IT. Thank you, that is all.

Also, I'm going to be taking a small break-

"Are you fucking kidding me? You've been gone for three months, drop this tiny ass piece of shit cliffhanger chapter on us, and then say you're going to ditch us!?" Reviewer-Chan rants angrily at the monitor screen.

Don't worry! I've got a something for you to read! Remember that novella comp I entered ages ago? Yep, thanks to a guest review by Luv ur writing (solid username that one) I've decided to post said novella in three segments of 3333 words each (roughly,) over the period of three weeks.

It isn't fan fiction, but it is a story, written by yours truly. If you love me, read it. If you don't love me, I'll cry while you read it. It'll be posted on this account one week from now, which is a Saturday for me and a Friday for most of you slow losers.

"Why are you even taking a break? You're in term four of your last year, most major assignments are finished, and you really have nothing better to do." Reviewer-Chan asks, vaguely satisfied but still partially annoyed. The outcome was a type of resigned slump accompanied by a half-hearted killing intent.

Well, I once wrote (like most of us have) a story about angels. It was a fair while ago, and although the writing itself is probably better than what I put out now, the character development, reactions, and emotions, were hurried and naive. It's probably my favorite story that I've written. I want to rewrite it so that it can be continued. The main character's name is Sky, (yes, that's where Endergirl's Sky got her name, but the characters are entirely different in every possible way... except for the blue hair.) And, the main character's name is David (yes... that's where David got his name from, but again, they're different people entirely.) Furthermore, I might _actually try to plan out the plot,_ which I have never done before.

It's only twenty five pages long to the point it's at. I can assume it will reach about forty with all the changes. I should be able to get that done in three weeks, assuming school doesn't punch me in the face unexpectedly. And after that, I've already got the next chapter of Endergirl planned, so it should be a _Breeze_ to write.

So, in summery... Apartment blocks are really just stacks of mirrors, large handbags are prone to infestations of tiny dogs, and _always, always,_ remember to _avoid white lines._

Okay gg, let me get my hot spot up to post this.

Ciao. :P

\- Sylent


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